


Anthem of Youth

by Sophie_Doki_Doki



Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Body Worship, Dirty Talk, First Kiss, First Time, I'll add more tags later, Love Triangles, M/M, Masturbation, Phone Sex, Riding, Seduction, THERES GONNA BE A HAPPY ENDING GUYS CALM DOWN ASDFGHJK, Teenage Drama, iori x riku, iori x tenn, ioriku, iotenn, just remember tenn is a slut, nagimitsu is also there, not in that order lol, tenn is a slut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-14
Updated: 2019-05-23
Packaged: 2019-06-27 13:43:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 83,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15686583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sophie_Doki_Doki/pseuds/Sophie_Doki_Doki
Summary: Some people say being young is the time to have fun and be reckless. But not Iori Izumi. Yet the analytical perfectionist never expected to wind up in a complicated love triangle with two adorable twins! This is a story of love, sex, betrayal, and friendship. It's a story of youth.~~~(basically iori accidentally sleeps with tenn while he's dating riku and doesn't know how to deal with it asdfghjkl)





	1. It all started with a kiss

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys! So I promised I would stop writing fanfiction but oops here I am.  
> Idolish7 fandom has come a long way in this past year so I'm finally confident in putting out a full story about the boys :D  
> The plot is basically that Iori cant stop banging tenn because tenn's ass is delicious and he's trying to hide it from riku, who he ends up dating. theres gonna be lots of smut eventually, so be ready for that! WHO WILL IORI END UP WITH IN THE END!? AHHHHH! LETS READ TO FIND OUT! OWO

“Tenten is so cool~” Tamaki admired, eyes glued to the program on TV. He dipped his spoon into his pudding cup and continued to eat.

                “I agree. Kujou-san has always had a charming charisma,” Sogo leaned on Tamaki’s shoulder, nuzzling into him affectionately. “I’ve been a fan of Trigger since the beginning, and-“

                “Get off me. I’m eating pudding,” Tamaki shoved Sogo away.

                Yamato laughed at his idolmates and plopped down on the couch with them. “Be nice, Tama,” He chuckled. He grabbed the remote and turned the TV’s volume up. The nation had been in uproar, incredibly excited to see Trigger’s program at the end of the week. Today was finally Friday and all the Idolish7 boys were going to watch it together.

                “Oh! Mitsuki! Are you cold? Let’s use my favorite Magical Kokona blanket!” Nagi cheered. He fluffed out his pink anime blanket and covered himself and Mitsuki with it. “Magical fluffy snuggle attack!” He yelled, curling up with his friend.

                “N-Nagi, haha!” Mitsuki laughed. He let Nagi snuggle into him and grinned. “I’m surprised you’re letting me use your favorite blanket. Thanks! I was a little cold.”

                “Do not fear, Mitsuki! Kokona shall cast a magical spell of warmth upon us!” Nagi exclaimed, blue eyes sparkling with optimism.

                Mitsuki merely chuckled in amusement. He patted Nagi’s head. “Yeah, yeah.”

               Iori sighed, irritated with everyone's bullshit as usual. He quickly checked the clock to see what time it was. "The Trigger program should begin in...four...three...two...one. Now," He stated. 

                  Suddenly, the TV screen brightened. A flamboyant, enthusiastic audience began to roar with excitement. Screams echoed from the TV. The show began with playing a clip from Trigger’s Diamond Fusion music video. Three gorgeous voices rang through the air.

               "There we go. Right on time. Not a second off schedule," Iori nodded to himself. He had always been a perfectionist, striving for everything to fit into its slot and be organized. It was simply just the way his mind was wired. He loved planning things and using logic to solve problems. Idolish7 needed someone like that. And Iori was glad to be the key. However, sometimes being so particular about things made him come off as boring. Which was perhaps why he didn't have many friends. But he didn't mind. He would rather work hard than spend his days being reckless, tarnishing his youth. 

                “SHHHHHHHHHHHHH! IT’S STARTING!!!” Sogo yelled like the fanboy trash he is.

Instantly, the Idolish7 boys were mesmerized. Stunning lights flashed, lurid instruments boomed, and the three males danced passionately to their music. They were breathtaking. Nothing less from the perfect, sensual idols of Trigger. After the music video, the TV cut to the live interview of the Trigger boys. They began discussing the music video and the making behind it.

                “Yeah. Diamond Fusion was our first song and our big break through,” Gaku explained. “I’m glad our first song is still popular to this day.”

                Ryu laughed happily. “I’m glad too! The music video was very fun to make. Though some parts of it were a little embarrassing to film…” He said nervously. Then he jolted, remembering he had to keep up his ero ero persona. “Ah! I mean… I-it felt like the three of us had only just met. I was surprised to see how in sync we already were,” He boasted with confidence. He smirk at the audience, which caused an uproar of screams.

                Yamato sighed. “Man. Ryu should just cut the crap and be himself already,” He commented. “Why doesn’t h-“

                “SHHHHHH!!!!! KUJOU-SAN IS TALKIINNGGGGG!!!!” Sogo screamed. “GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO TRIGGER!!!" He held up a glow stick.

                "So-chan where did you get-"

                 Everyone watched as the center of Trigger, Japan’s little angel began to speak. Tenn Kujou leaned into his microphone. “Diamond Fusion was indeed a blast to record. To this day, it holds a special place in my heart,” He smiled sweetly. He looked right at the camera, his pink eyes sparkling with joy. “I want to thank all our lovely fans for continuing to support and love our music! Secret Night, Last Dimension, Destiny- everything! Thank you for supporting Trigger!” He proclaimed in his heartthrob voice. “Without your adoration and love…w-we…we wouldn’t be able to be the wonderful Trigger we want to be for you…” He covered his face, and began crying. His sniffles echoed in the microphone, causing a scene. “Ah! I-I’m sorry!”

             _“KYAAAAA!”_

_“Tenn-kun!!”_

_“So cute~!”_

                The fans in the audience went wild, screaming and fanning over the cute way Tenn cried. No one probably noticed, but Gaku rolled his eyes.

                “Oi, don’t cry on TV, Tenn,” Gaku faked a smile. “Brat…” He growled, off screen.

                “Yeah! We’ll be doing our best from here on out! Everyone! Please continue to love Trigger!” Ryu declared.

               _“KYAAAAAA!”_ The audience cheered.

                 Mitsuki sighed. “I wish the world knew the real Trigger. How they act in public is nothing like they truly are…” He pouted.

                Tamaki rolled his eyes, disinterested. “Well, that’s their image, or whatever. Right? Gakkun is a womanizer, Ryu-aniki is a sexy beast, and Tenten is…”

                “An angel,” Riku suddenly spoke up. Iori gasped and turned to Riku. He realized Riku hadn't said a word all night. Usually, he was so enthusiastic and eager to watch TV all together. Especially if they were watching something with Trigger. Yet tonight, Riku seemed off. Iori watched, as Riku’s eyes sparkled from the light of the TV screen. But something about those precious eyes looked different. Wrong. They weren’t as bright as they usually were. They lacked color. They lacked joy. Iori was about to ask Riku was what wrong, but suddenly, Riku stood up. “I’m going to bed,” He announced.

                “WHAT? Already!?” Nagi yelled.

                “Eh!? But the show just started!” Yamato exclaimed. “They’re gonna talk about Regality and change into their Daybreak Interlude outfits. Come on, you’ve waited to see this all week!”

                Riku kept his back to everyone as he walked toward the door. “Haha…um, I’ll watch it in my room. Goodnight everyone!” He tried to laugh. But it wasn't his real laugh. Without another word, Riku exited the room. “Goodnight~”

                “Nanase-san-“

                Once Riku was gone, everyone turned their attention back to the TV. Everyone except Iori. Iori continued to wonder why Riku had suddenly turned sour. He tried to analyze it in his head, but nothing made sense. He wished he had the courage to chase after Riku and ask him what was wrong. But he felt…too embarrassed. Embarassment. And emotion Iori was well familiar with. 

                Nonetheless, the reason Riku was distraught required anything but analyzing. It was obvious. He was sad. Because he missed Tenn. 

                Sighing, Iori made up his mind right then and there. He didn’t want Riku to be depressed about his twin anymore. It was impacting his happiness, but more importantly, impacting his health. Iori had had enough. He decided to confront Tenn Kujou and beg him to give Riku some closure. Yet he knew it wouldn’t be easy. Off camera, Tenn was no angel. He was a mischievous little devil, who could get anything he wanted.   

**_ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _ **

                Idolish7 had just finished a live and were all headed back to their dressing room. Iori tagged behind the group with his head down. Now was his chance. Trigger was coming in the building next, to perform in about an hour. That gave him just enough time to find Tenn and explain to him how Riku needed him. He would do anything to bring back Riku’s cheerful smile. When no one was watching, Iori snuck away from the group and wandered down the hallway. “Kujou-san’s dressing room should be on the opposite side of the building…” He muttered to himself. He continued to walk to his destination, hoping no one would question him. Suddenly, a familiar voice was heard:

                “I’m just saying. I’m sick of that two-faced brat making huge scenes like that on stage! What was I supposed to do!? Cradle him and kiss his little cheeks!?” Ranted the aggravated voice of Gaku Yaotome.

                “Aww~ I thought Tenn looked cute crying!” Ryu chimed in.

                “Urg! He wasn’t really crying!” Gaku snapped. “But you’re right. When he does cry, it’s pretty cute.”

                “I know right!”

                The two men continued their conversation as they marched down the hall. Upon hearing them, Iori ducked behind a wall to hide. His heart raced with fright. The last thing he wanted was to get caught. Exhaling softly, he tried to calm down. “For Nanase-san…” He whispered to himself. “For Nanase-san…”

                “So where is the little shit now?” Gaku spoke up again.

                “Probably in his dressing room. Room 104,” Ryu assumed. “We don’t have to go on for at least another hour. You’d think he’d want to come sit with us and wait…”

                Gaku frowned. “Let him rest. He’s probably tired from faking his entire existance.”

                Iori watched as the two Trigger members walked past the wall he hid behind. Thankfully, he hadn’t been noticed. He sighed with relief and continued to walk. “Room 104…” He whispered. It wasn’t long before Iori made it to his destination. He stood outside the door, staring at the handle. “M-maybe this was a bad idea…” He whispered. “No. No! This is for Nanase-san! I have to!” He declared. Gathering his bravery, he quickly reached up and knocked on the door.

                _Knock knock knock._

                “Uwaah! Why did I do that!?” Iori sobbed, feeling fear strike through him. He desperately looked around, wondering if he could make a run for it. But suddenly, the there was a click. Iori’s eyes widened as the door to Tenn’s dressing room slowly began to open. Out emerged a slender boy with strawberry kissed hair, and dazzling pink eyes. He was wearing his Last Dimension outfit, draped in regal splendor with his red cape and silver crown. Tenn Kujou folded his arms in the doorway, looking so perfect. Just like a doll.

                “Gaku. I told you I don’t need to practice anym-“ He suddenly froze. His eyes locked onto Iori and he became shocked. However, he didn’t show it. His usual blank expression remained on his face. “Ha. Idolish7’s Iori Izumi…” He growled, unamused. “Are you lost?”

                Iori swallowed nervously. Tenn seemed so perfect and lovable on TV. But in real life, he was so cold. “Kujou-san…” He whispered. “N-no, I’m not lost.”

                Tenn rolled his eyes, sighing with lack of concern. “If you want an autograph for Sogo Osaka, I’m afraid I don’t have the time. Good day, Iori Izumi,” He hissed. He grabbed the door and began to close it.

                “…W…W-wait!” Iori called. He grabbed the door and yanked it back.

                “Ah!” Tenn gasped, startled by Iori’s strength. He nearly fell backwards, the sudden yank of the door was so rough. Tenn was shocked. He didn’t like being caught off guard like that. Few people could do that to him. And never in a million years was he prepared for a rival to do so. Namely, a member of Idolish7. Why Iori of all people?

                “S-sorry,” Iori apologized for jerking the door so violently. He bowed his head a bit, as he was always one to be polite. Yet his manners only made Tenn growl.

               “What the hell do you think you’re doing, kid? I can call security right now and get you thrown out of here. Is that what you’d like?” He snapped, trying to scare the younger male.

                Iori frowned. “Please do not call me a kid,” He stated firmly. “Kujou-san. I’m sorry to disturb you so suddenly like this. But I harbor information I wish to inform you of. Please, engage me in conversation. Just for a bit.”

                Tenn raised an eyebrow in suspicion. He truly had no idea what Iori could be up to. “Why should I waste my time talking to you? You are my rival, after all. How do you think the press would react if they snapped a picture of Idolish7’s handsome Iori Izumi, and Trigger’s adorable Tenn Kujou alone together? Hmm? I will not betray my band, my agency, or my fans for the sake of talking to you.”

                Iori blinked. Tenn was so…enchanting. Just something about him- in everything he did. It was positively _alluring_. His words, his gestures, the tone of his voice. Everything was so charming. Iori tried not to get distracted. “Did you just call me…handsome?” He asked.

                Tenn perked up. He had a horrified look of realization on his face. “Huh?” He asked. “W-we’re all handsome! We’re idols!” He shouted. “But don’t forget. We have different images. I don’t want a member from a childish group wasting the time of a mature performer like me. Goodbye.”

                Iori suddenly felt angry. If there was one thing that could make him snap, it was hearing someone insult Idolish7. “I told you, please don’t refer to me as a child!” He shouted. “Urg! Is that the problem!? You think Idolish7 is childish!? Immature!? I assure you, Kujou-san, I am very mature.” He stepped closer, making Tenn back into his room. “More mature than you know…”

                “H-hey!” Tenn blushed, being forced backwards. He almost tripped on his feet as he was pushed deeper and deeper into his room. “What do you think you’re doing!? Stop it right there!”

                Iori closed the door behind them, trapping them inside. Now, they were alone together. “Ha. I get it. You don’t want to ruin the fake image Trigger has tried so hard to build up. That erotic image of three sinful men… shameful,” He ranted. “So that’s why you won’t speak to Nanase-san then? Because you’re mature? And you think he’s just a kid…”

                Tenn’s eyes suddenly widened. And his jaw lowered in alarm. For a moment, his entire body began to tremble. He was so good at hiding his emotions, and staying cool under pressure. But in that moment, Iori saw the courage in Tenn’s posture crumble. “Riku…” He whispered. Without warning, he lunged at Iori and grabbed his shirt collar. “Just what the hell does Riku have to do with any of this!? Who the hell do you think you are!?” He screamed, yanking Iori toward him in rage.

                “S-shh! You’re gonna get us caught! Keep your voice down!” Iori whisper-shouted. He sighed. “That’s why I’m here. I want to talk to you about Nanase-san.”

                Tenn tried to remain unamused. Yet his eyes couldn’t help but sparkle at the mention of his brother’s name. He hesitated for a moment. Then he looked back up at Iori. “Fine. For Riku.” He let go of the other male.

                Once freed from Tenn’s grip, Iori’s expression brightened. “Thank you,” He smiled kindly. He took a moment to familiarize himself with the environment. It was so much fancier than the dressing room for Idolish7. It was decorated in black and silver. Fancy carpet, fancy wallpaper, fancy curtains. It looked so…Trigger. It looked like the hotel room of a king. Iori frowned. “As expected of Trigger…”

                Tenn walked over to a chair and plopped down. Swiftly, he crossed one leg over the other. He truly looked like royalty sitting in a throne. And the little crown on his head certainly didn’t help. “I will give you precisely five minutes to speak with me. Go one second over and I’ll call security.”

                Iori sighed in aggravation. “Alright. Then please listen to me,” He began. “Recently, Nanase-san has not been focused on his work. I seem to be the only one noticing. It’s in his body language, and in the tone of his voice. Abnormities that lead me to believe he’s struggling with something,” He rambled. “I believe he is lacking something. Something that use to act like a foundation in his life,” He explained. "My hypothesis is that he can’t stop thinking about you recently. You, Kujou-san. He misses you. He needs you.”

                Tenn absorbed all of Iori’s words. And upon listening, he raised an eyebrow in suspicion. “Hypothesis?” He mocked. “What are you, some sort of scientist? Is my little brother an experiment to you?” He narrowed his eyes. “Haha! What kind of things have you been doing to him, Iori Izumi?”

                Iori turned red. “N-no! Of course not! Nanase-san is…!” He swallowed. “Are you even listening to me? Please. Nanase-san needs you! Can’t you at least speak to him and give him a little encouragement?”

                “HA!” Tenn boasted. He uncrossed his legs. “Encouragement? Encouragement!? How dare you! I entered the entertainment industry for his sake! But he doesn’t see it that way! And that is not my fault. I never wanted him to follow me into this world. That was his choice. And from day one, I knew he couldn’t handle it,” He stood up from the chair. “I will not encourage him to push himself when I know he will only get hurt! For his own good, he needs to leave Idolish7!”

                Iori was quite good at managing his rage. But when Tenn proclaimed Idolish7 would be better off without Riku, Iori lunged forwards in anger. “You’re wrong!” He screamed. He grabbed Tenn’s shoulders and pinned him to the wall. “You are his brother! He loves you so much! I just don’t understand how you don’t love him back!” Iori shouted. “How could anyone…not love Nanase-san!?” He breathed heavily. He hung his head down low, his face in the shadows.

                Tenn hadn’t even flinched when Iori pinned him to the wall. He stayed there froze, watching Iori scream at him with a cold, emotionless expression. He thought about the situation briefly. Then, he suddenly smirked. Tenn knew what he had to do to get Iori out of his business. It was the only way he knew how to get what he wanted. He planned to get inside Iori’s head and control him. After all, Tenn was a master at this dark technique.

                _Seduction._

“Ah. I see what this is truly about,” He chuckled. “You’ve fallen in love. With my brother.”

                Iori looked back up. “HUH!?”

                “Ahaha. Cute. So that’s why you’re here,” Tenn realized. “No wonder you’re the only one who noticed his bitter attitude. You’ve fallen for him. You wish to bring me to Riku. So he’ll be happy,” He explained Iori’s plan. “So… _overwhelmingly happy_ ,” He slurred the end of his sentence with such a luscious tone. He suddenly reached up and snuck his arms around Iori’s neck, pulling him in. He moved so swiftly, like a snake. Iori didn’t have time to react, and found himself captivated by Tenn’s alluring voice. “Riku would smile like a princess. And hug you so tightly- so thankful that his prince has saved him. That’s what you want, right Iori Izumi? For Riku to praise you.” He suddenly leaned in to whisper in his ear. “And fall head over heels in love with you.”

                Iori’s heart was racing. For the first time in his life, his analytical mind couldn’t comprehend its situation. Shuddering, Iori squeezed his eyes shut. He was the one pinning Tenn to the wall! Yet somehow, Tenn was the one forcing his will upon Iori. A million scenarios ran through Iori’s mind, as he desperately tried to think of a proper way to react. Yet he found himself trapped. Tenn Kujou had trapped him. And Iori was at a complete loss for words.

“L-let go of me. And you’re not correct at all!” He shouted. “I’m just worried about Nanase-san! As a friend! I know if you talk to him, it will make him happy…s-so…I thought…”

                “Hm~?” Tenn titled his head, grinning. “And you want to be the one to fill him with happiness. Right? Mm, fill him to the brim. Those gorgeous silver eyes of yours don’t lie, Iori Izumi. You’re an easy kid to understand~” He groaned, almost sexually.

                Iori growled and yanked away from Tenn, freeing himself. “Quit calling me that!” He ordered.

                Tenn merely laughed. “Haha! What, a kid?”

                “Quit calling me Iori Izumi!” The raven-haired male suddenly snapped. “Y-you’ve called me that since the day we met. You don’t have to say my full name, you know. Just Iori is fine…” He blushed and looked down. “Don’t be so…formal.”

                Tenn froze. He saw the way Iori was suddenly acting. He looked nervous. His head was down, his hands were in fists, and his entire body was shaking. No doubt about it. Iori was embarrassed. Which only brought a smile to Tenn’s face. He realized he was succeeding in controlling him. He only needed to push him a little further to get him over the edge.

                “Alright then. If you insist.” Tenn batted his eyelashes innocently. He suddenly went up on his tip toes and got close in Iori’s face. “Iori~” He smirked. His expression was so breathtakingly gorgeous.

               When Iori heard his name in that precious voice, he melted. He was always weak to cute things. He covered his mouth and looked to the side. “Can you please not stand so closely to me?”

                “Hmm? Why~? Is little Iori embarrassed? My my, you really are cute,” Tenn teased.

                Iori felt his face get warmer. “D-don’t call me cute!” He hissed.

                “Ahaha! Oh that’s right. You’re weak to cute things. Or…was it weak to cool and sharp things? I don’t remember. Which one did you like again?” Tenn chuckled. "Its not like you're too embarassed to be honest, right?"

                Iori couldn’t stand being made a fool. “You’re one to talk!” He yelled, grabbing Tenn’s shoulders. “So what if I lied in an interview!? You fake your entire personality just to stay famous! It’s atrocious! Everyone is in love with a side of you that doesn’t even exist!” He shook the smaller male around roughly. “You need to listen to me! You need to talk to Nanase-san! He’s so unbalanced without his twin! The stress may cause his illness to get worse! Is that what you want!?”

                Tenn started getting dizzy from Iori shaking him so much. “S-stop that! Stop that this instant!” He screamed. He gripped Iori’s hands and tried to rip them away. But Iori was stronger. Their fighting escalated into fierce hostility. The two continued to tussle- shouting, grabbing, and shaking each other aggressively.

“Kujou-san, just listen to me!”

“No! Get off me! Get off! I’ll leak this to the media. I’ll have Takanashi Productions shut down!”

“Stop it! I know you love Nanase-san! So please!” Iori begged. “Promise to make him smile!”

Tenn’s head was spinning. He was trying as hard as he could to push Iori off of him. However, somehow, Iori was far stronger than him. Tenn had never been so frightened in his life. He felt like Iori’s eyes were piercing right through his soul. He was paralyzed with terror. Suddenly, he started thinking about Riku. And soon, tears came to his eyes. Real tears. Not like the ones he faked in front of the camera.

“THAT’S WHAT I’VE BEEN DOING SINCE THE DAY WE WERE BORN!” He suddenly screamed at the top of his lungs. He breathed heavily. Iori had never seen Tenn so shaken up. And truly, no one had ever made Tenn so weak.

“Kujou-san…?” Iori noticed Tenn’s tears. He felt bad for shouting so much. It wasn’t like Iori to be so cruel, after all. But when it came to the future of Idolish7, and came to Riku, he couldn’t help it. As he gazed at Tenn, he felt his heart melt. Somehow, when the bold and confidence Tenn Kujou was frightened, he truly looked quite cute.

Cute.

Almost like Riku.

Iori loosened his grip on Tenn and prepared to pull away. He felt awful for scaring Tenn and opened his mouth to apologize. “Kujou-san I’m-“

“You don’t understand anything!” Tenn hollered, cupping Iori’s face in his hands. He wasn't done expressing his fury. “Riku loves me no matter what. Understand!? And I never said I didn’t love him too! Stop invading people’s h-hearts and mind your own business!”

“Kujou-san I’m-!”

“Stop it! And stay away from Riku! Perhaps I don’t approve of you two being together!” Tenn sobbed, refusing to deescalate the situation. He pulled Iori’s face in closer.

“Kujou-san!”

“Stop talking! STOP TALKING!”

“Please, I’m sor-!”

“He can’t replace me with you!”

“Kuj-!”

“MPH!” Without warning, Tenn lunged forwards.

It happened so fast. Iori hardly had time react. And truly, Tenn hardly had time to think. The next thing they knew, the two boys were lip locked. Trapped in a kiss.

“M-mhh!?” Iori gasped, struggling to move away. He froze up completely, as every inch of his body shut down. And for the first time, Iori’s analytical mind shut down as well. He was imprisoned in the kiss, and slowly closed his eyes.

Truth be told, Tenn didn’t know what he was doing. For some reason, he felt like the kiss was the only option to shut Iori up. And as it turns out, he was correct. Once he saw Iori close his eyes and relax, he suddenly felt the urge to relax as well. Tenn melted into Iori's lips, astonished at how soft they were. “Ahm…mm...” Tenn groaned, wrapping his arms around Iori’s neck. He found himself enjoying the intimate moment, and deepened the passionate kiss. Soon, he couldn’t control himself.

Iori was petrified. He gasped softly, desperately trying to get air. He knew this was wrong. Everything about it was wrong. Yet for some reason, he couldn’t pull away. He felt Tenn’s angelic lips glide across his with ease. Like he was truly some sort of angel blessing him with divine pleasure. God damn it, why couldn’t he pull away!?

Tenn was addicting.

God, Tenn was _so addicting._

With each passing second, Iori felt himself losing control to the charming boy. Without thinking, he put his arms around Tenn’s waist. And squeezed him in closer.

“I-Iori~!” Tenn moaned in pleasure.

Iori felt his heart burst. He never thought such a cute noise could ever exist. But the sounds coming from Tenn in that moment were enough to bring him to tears. Whether he started crying out of regret, or desire, he didn’t know. But tears started running down his cheeks. After a moment, the two boys pulled away, gasping for air. Eyelids low, they made dazed eye contact with each other. Iori seemed more out of breath than Tenn. He let go of him and took a step back, covering his lips in shame. “I’m…” He whispered. His face was so red, burning up from so much embarrassment he could hardly speak. He swallowed. Hard. “Kujou-san, what was that f-for?”

Tenn wiped his mouth on his sleeve, glowing eyes never leaving eye contact with Iori. “I don’t know,” He answered, with honesty. “It seemed like the only way to shut you up…but,” He paused. He looked down for a moment, staring at the floor. Tenn’s confidence wasn’t the same as before. Somehow, the kiss made him just as embarrassed as Iori. “I-I didn’t expect you to be such a good kisser…”

Iori perked up. “Eh?” He gasped, truly shocked. Getting praise from someone so professional as Tenn made a shiver run down his spine. He put his hands behind his back and shifted his weight nervously, like a child who had just stolen candy. “R-really?”

Tenn looked back up. And he smiled. Not an eerie smile or an egoistic smirk. Instead, he smiled sweetly. Like for the first time in his life, he was truly happy. “Yes,” He answered. “Your lips are soft. You taste like cookies and cream,” He covered his mouth and giggled slightly. Yeah. Tenn Kujou fucking giggled. “Ahaha, it was like sweet, savory sugar…” He took a step toward Iori, fearlessly. He smiled up at him. “Like milk and honey. Paradise.”

Iori saw the sparkle in Tenn’s eyes. And he quickly moved back to put more distance between them. “S-stay back!” He commanded. His mind was spinning. The kiss had succeeded in distracting him. He no longer felt angry. And truthfully, he no longer remembered why he was even in Tenn’s room in the first place. Everything had gone blank in his calculative mind. “That was my…” He bit his lip uncomfortably. “F-f-first kiss…” He admitted, shyly. He couldn’t stand the mortification, and quickly buried his face in his hands. “Kujou-san!”

Tenn was still trying to piece his emotions together himself. Let alone did he understand how Iori was feeling. Yet when he heard Iori sob his name, his jaw dropped. “Your first kiss?” He was completely shocked. “But you’re so…!” He suddenly bit his lip to stop from finishing that sentence. “Ah-!”

Iori peeked through his fingers. “I’m so what?” He inquired, still sniffling.

Now it was Tenn’s turn to blush. He quickly spun on his heels and faced the opposite wall, in attempt to hide his expression. “Nevermind!” He snapped.

Then, there was silence.

Eventually, Tenn sighed. “Damn it. How did I let this happen?" He turned back to face Iori. “If the media finds out about this we'll be in trouble."

Iori snapped out of his trance. "What do you mean let it happen!? You kissed me! Out of no where!" He snapped. "We must keep it a secret or else Idolish7 and Trigger could sink into a scandal.” He put his hand on his chin and analyzed the situation. “Kujou-san…w-we must promise to keep this a secret between us.”

Tenn’s eyes widened. And for a moment, his heart skipped a beat. “Between us?” He asked. He placed a hand over his heart, confused to why he felt such a strange feeling in his chest. “A secret… just between us…” He repeated. No one had ever invited Tenn to something like that before. It felt special. A secret between Iori and Tenn. Tenn liked the idea of that very much. It warmed his heart. Yet, he didn’t want to make it obvious. “Alright! Enough!” He stormed over to the door. He unlocked it and threw it open. “Your five minutes is far over. I promise I’ll keep our secret but you have to get out of here now. The staff should be showing up soon to escort me to Trigger’s live.”

Iori gasped when Tenn opened the door. “R-right!” He scurried out the door.

Tenn watched him. “W-wait!” He suddenly called.

In the hallway, Iori turned and looked back at Tenn. Tenn saw his handsome face and his stomach began twisting in knots. He growled, not understanding why Iori Izumi of all people was having such an effect on him. Swallowing, he spoke back up, “If you tell anyone I’ll burn Takanashi productions to the ground.”

Iori merely rolled his eyes. “I’m smart. I know how to keep a secret,” He responded. “Anything else?”

Tenn spent a moment just gazing at Iori. His handsome figure and gorgeous eyes. Then he looked down. “Um,” He said. Tenn had never started a sentence with ‘um’ in his life. “I’ll talk to Riku. Someday. Eventually. I promise. I just need more time…ok?”

Iori’s face lit up. He had forgotten that was why he came there in the first place. Yet somehow, he had succeeded in getting Tenn to comply wish his wishes. “Thank you Kujou-san,” He bowed, appreciatively. Then he smiled. “I see you later then.” With that, he took off running.

Tenn watched Iori go. And with every step he took away from him, Tenn felt like a knife was stabbing him in the chest. He hovered his right palm over his heart again, wondering why on earth he was getting a strange feeling. “Iori Izumi…” He whispered, tasting each delicious syllable of his name. Then he suddenly smirked. “Yes. I’ll see you later.” He turned and walked back into his dressing room. “Bye bye.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! They gonna bang in the next chapter owo


	2. Deceitful charm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “Uwah!” Iori squealed, feeling Tenn’s dick in his hand.  
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_After yesterday, I needed a long rest. I slept for approximately eight hours before stirring awake. Today Idolish7 will be filming a commercial for a new clothing line. Everyone seems to be in good spirits so I expect our teamwork to be unfaltering today._

Iori looked up from his notebook to ponder his thoughts. Nobody knew, but he had a special notebook where he kept record of everything Idolish7 did. He treated it as a management book, planning out their performances, and strategies to success. However, his journal was a secret, as no one could find out he had secretly been helping Tsumugi with management since day one. No one could ever know about his journal.

Sighing, Iori looked back down to finish his writing:

_Nanase-san seems to be in good spirits today as well. I was surprised but I’m glad to see he is healthy and happy. I made warm tea this morning to calm his throat, which he seemed to enjoy. His eyes sparkled. And I know that’s a sign he’s feeling well. Nanase-san’s vocals are Idolish7’s weapon. Although we are just filming a commercial today, and will not be singing, it’s always a delight to just hear him speak- in that cheerful, beautiful tone of his. I will work hard today._

“Iori!” A voice suddenly called. “Come on, Iori! The director is calling for everyone to get on set!”

“Eh? Nii-san!?” Iori gasped, seeing his brother appear in front of him. He quickly hid his notebook behind his back. “Right. I’ll be right there, Nii-san.”

Mitsuki chuckled. “Well hurry up, Iori! You’re the only one we’re waiting for!” He exclaimed, excitedly. “Trigger just arrived. Come say hi before we have to start filming!”

Iori couldn’t help but smile seeing his brother so excited. “Cute,” He whispered. Then he suddenly gasped. “Wait… Trigger!?” He yelled.

“Oh yeah! Trigger happened to be filming something in the studio next to us! Since they had some extra time, the director invited them over to join in our commercial. Isn’t that nice?” Mitsuki explained. “So hurry up, Iori!” He turned on his heels and ran off.

Iori couldn’t believe it. “Th-this is not according to plan! We must follow our agenda!” He called. But it was too late. Being the perfectionist he was, he couldn’t stand last minute changes. Sighing, he closed the cover of his navy blue notebook and tucked it away. Then, he walked off in the direction Mitsuki had gone. But he didn’t run like Mitsuki did. Instead, he followed in a calm, composed manner until he arrived at the gathering area. He was not prepared to see Trigger. And not prepared to see Tenn.

The rest of Idolish7 was already there, along with Trigger, Tsumugi, and Kaoru. They were all excited to film the commercial and were eagerly gossiping about it.

“Iori! There you are!” Riku spotted Iori and his face lit up. “Iori!” He pounced on his arm happily.

“N-Nanase-san! Watch out!” Iori snapped. He sighed as Riku clung to his arm. “Please be more careful when we are on set. There is a lot of dangerous equipment everywhere and it would be unfortunate if someone got hurt.”

Riku pouted, puffing his cheeks cutely. “You’re no fun, Iori.”

“Hey there’s the little Izumi. Hi Iori! We were wondering when you’d come over,” Ryu stepped forwards. He smiled sweetly at Iori. “Sorry for Trigger showing up last minute. But we didn’t want to pass on an opportunity to work with you guys.”

“Hello Tsunashi-san. I apologize for losing track of time. It isn’t often I do that…” Iori drifted off. “It’s an honor to work with Trigger. I’ll be in your care,” He bowed his head slightly. “If I recall correctly, this commercial is for a new line of clothing.”

Gaku heard Ryu and Iori and approached them. “Actually, there was a change of plans when Trigger agreed to come over. We’re filming for a new cologne now instead,” He explained. “It’s called _Deceitful Charm_. And the scent’s not half bad.” The second he walked over to them, a wave of jasmine and rose water entered the atmosphere.

“Geh!” Iori gasped, overwhelmed by the intense scent. He covered his nose quickly. “D-deceitful charm? That’s quite a peculiar, sensual name…”

“Ahaha! Sorry. Gaku’s been wearing this stuff for months, actually,” Ryu explained.

Gaku chuckled. “Yeah. Sorry. I’m probably addicted to cologne. It’s supposed to be a chick magnet.” He briefly looked over his shoulder. He glanced at Tsumugi. Yet she didn’t even notice. He sighed and looked back down. “But I guess it isn’t really working… At least it still smells nice. Right?”

Iori uncovered his nose. “I apologize. That was rude of me. The scent is exquisite,” He complimented. “I am just unfamiliar with the aroma of cologne. I’ve never worn it before…” He admitted. “That all aside, th-this isn’t what Idolish7 signed up for today! We were not informed of this change of plans and I can’t handle sudden-!”

“A-ahn! Ack!” Riku suddenly coughed. He breathed heavily for a moment, clenching onto his chest.

Iori’s eyes went wide the moment he noticed. “Nanase-san!” He screamed. He pushed his way through everyone and ran up to Riku. He grabbed him violently. “Are you alright!? Where’s your inhaler!?”

“Waaah! Ah! Iori, I’m fine!” Riku waved his arms around frantically. “I was just a little startled by the strong scent. But I’m fine! I promise!”

Iori eyed Riku suspiciously. He hated that the plans had been changed. The plans he had organized so carefully. He would never make Idolish7 do a cologne commercial with Riku’s illness. “We cannot have Nanase-san film with us today. His respiratory condition forbids him from coming in contact with cologne.”

Tsumugi quickly ran over to the commotion. “Riku-san! I’m so sorry for this sudden change! I wasn’t informed of it until just now as well!” She bowed her head apologetically. “I spoke with the director and he said you may withdraw from the commercial,” She explained. “Our orders are to have you wait in the dressing room as the rest of us continue filming. I’m sorry…”

“Ehh? That’s so not fair!” Riku sobbed. He sighed and pulled away from Iori. Instantly, his cheerful grin faded. It had taken him days to finally smile again. And just like that, in a matter of seconds, his smile was gone. “I’m sorry for slowing everyone down. I’ll go wait in the dressing room now…” He hung his head low and turned to walk off. He briefly looked back over his shoulder at Iori. And he had the most heartbreaking puppy eyes. Then, he exited the studio through the back door.

Iori was furious. Yet he knew he couldn’t make a big scene. No one should be allowed to take away Riku’s smile like that. No one. Iori wished he could speak to the director and beg him to change his mind, yet he knew he couldn’t. He was just a mere member of Idolish7- not a manager. And he didn’t have time to give Tsumugi advice with so many people around.

“No Nanase-san? How unfortunate,” A sudden voice spoke from behind Iori. “Oh well. It’s better this way.”

Iori gasped, and whirled around to the direction of the mysterious voice. He felt his heart freeze in his chest when he saw who was behind him. It was none other than Tenn Kujou. His face immediately turned red when he laid eyes upon him. He hadn’t seen Tenn since the week before, when they had kissed. Once he laid eyes upon him, regretful memories came flooding back into his mind. Iori quickly looked to the side, avoiding eye contact. No one could know what had happened between them.

Tenn merely chuckled, enjoying Iori’s reaction. “I’m looking forward to working with you today. Iori Izumi,” He extended his hand out toward him. “Let’s do our best together,” He smirked.

Iori swallowed nervously. He knew Tenn was messing with him. He knew that smug brat was purposely driving him crazy. Iori felt a wave of anxiety wash over him. Yet, he was good at remaining cool under pressure. He exhaled, trying to calm down before making eyecontact “I look forwards to working with you too. Kujou-san.” He grabbed Tenn’s hand and shook it firmly.

Time went on as the boys began taking pictures and filming with the cologne. Throughout the day, Iori caught Tenn looking at him numerous times. He gazed at Iori from across the room, behind walls, and even when they were right up next to each other. It was driving Iori crazy. Each time he made met glance with that pretty little face, he couldn’t help but remember how amazing those soft lips had felt. People asked him many times if he was feeling alright. Apparently, his face had been red all day. Tenn merely chuckled. Iori growled and had to repeatedly tell the staff he was feeling fine. Tenn was treating it like a game. But Iori felt like he was being dragged through mental torture.

 ** _~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_** ~

Eventually, the shoot ended and the staff began cleaning up. After thanking everyone for their hard work, Idolish7 was prepared to leave. But before they made it to the door, Iori suddenly gasped. “Ah! I forgot my note-…um. I forgot something. I’ll be right back!” He hollered, separating from the crowd. He quickly ran back to the break room where the boys had rested between filming, and began searching for his notebook. “Where is it…?” He growled to himself. He checked everywhere. Under the table. In drawers and cabinets. And even under the large, fluffy bed in the room. Yet his notebook was nowhere to be found. Iori felt his heart about to burst. If anyone ever found that thing, found out he was helping Tsumugi with management, or found out what he had written about Riku, he’d be dead.

“Looking for this?” A sudden voice inquired.

Iori gasped. He hardly had to look to know who was in the room with him. Only one person on earth had such a luscious voice like that. “Kujou-san!?” Iori gasped. When he saw his notebook his Tenn’s hand, his stomach dropped. “Wh-what are you doing here!? How did you get that!?” He shouted with fright. He looked at the numerous bookmarks sticking out of the notebook in Tenn’s hand. “You didn’t look in it did you?”

Tenn chuckled. “Haha. Why? Have something to hide?” He teased. He flipped the book open and rapidly flipped through the pages. The wind from the movement blew a breeze through his hair. He looked like a model posing for a close up.

Yet Iori wasn’t swayed by Tenn’s looks this time. “S-stop that! Please!” He begged, out stretching a hand to Tenn. “Please hand over my book this instant! Please, Kujou-san!”

“Oh? What’s this?” Tenn’s expression brightened. He snapped the book closed and smiled at Iori. “So this _is_ your book, after all. I thought so, though I wasn’t sure.”

Iori felt his tenseness fade. “So…you didn’t look in it,” He realized. Any single page would make it obvious it was his.

Tenn blinked. He realized he had accidentally revealed the truth. And he growled. “No. I didn’t look in it! What do you take me for!? I’m not some sort of monster!” He defended himself. “I am an angel.” He grinned, matter of factly.

Iori sighed. Tenn was the last person he wanted to be alone with. “I’m sorry. But I need that notebook back immediately. Please hand it over, Kujou-san. I’ll do anything.” He reached toward the book.

Tenn raised an eyebrow. “Anything?” He echoed, pulling the book away from Iori’s grasp. He locked eyecontact with Iori, gazing at him with a seductive expression. “Hmm~?”

The moment Iori met Tenn’s glance, he froze. Those gorgeous rose-petal eyes. He began to think about the week previous. When Tenn had stolen that kiss from him. It’s not that he was scared of Tenn. But after last time, he was nervous to be alone with him. There was no reason to be alone with him, anyway. Not wanting to feed into Tenn’s little game, Iori decided to change the subject. “What on earth were you doing today!? Staring at me from across the room!? That was reckless, Kujou-san! People are starting to get suspicious!”

Tenn frowned and put Iori’s notebook behind his back. “Suspicious? No way. People aren’t just going to guess out of the blue that we made out,” He argued. “Don’t be like that, Iori Izumi. I saw you. I saw you savoring every delectable glance I threw your way,” He insisted. “Realize. If you saw me looking at you, you were looking at me as well. Perhaps you’re the one who just can’t keep your eyes off me.”

Iori took a step back. He realized Tenn was correct. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, and truly, he didn’t even realize it, but Iori had been sneaking peeks at Tenn all day. He clenched his teeth together, grinding them in rage. “Just tell me already. Why are you here?” He demanded. “And give me back my notebook!”

Tenn laughed. A superior, egoistical laugh. “Oh I’ll give you back your precious little diary. But not until you answer my question,” He explained. His expression suddenly turned serious. “That’s why I’m here, Iori. I have a question for you. A question only you can answer,” He approached the other male. He stood close to him, making sure all of Iori’s attention was on him. “Look. I’m sorry. Ok? I really am sorry for what happened last week,” He began. “It escalated out of nowhere and I didn’t mean for it to happen. But at the same time… I don’t regret it!” He suddenly shouted. He put a hand on his head, looking truly distraught and stressed. “It’s driving me crazy! I feel bad about it, but at the same time I don’t! I liked it, but…I hated it!” He rambled. Iori had never seen the perfect Tenn Kujou so distressed. He felt bad for him. But the truth was, Iori was experiencing the same confusion as well.

“I understand,” He responded. “Kujou-san…these past few days, I’ve felt exactly the same.”

Tenn perked up, his eyes sparkling. “You do?” He asked. “You feel the same about me?”

Iori nodded, logically. “Yes. I hate what happened. So we should not allow it to happen again,” He stated, formally. “The door is over there. Please return my notebook and have a nice day. Good bye.”

Tenn’s face turned red with humiliation and rage. He felt like he could punch Iori in that moment. Yet, he didn’t want his anger to get out of hand. Or he could never figure a way out of the maze of emotions he was trapped in. He needed Iori’s help to sort everything out. So he decided to resort to his angelic persona to get what he wanted. Manipulation was his specialty. He frowned cutely and looked up at Iori with big eyes. “That’s not nice. What? Am I not allowed to talk to you?” He pouted, walking over to the bed. He plopped down, bouncing upon contact. “That’s cruel, Iori Izumi! I might cry!” He covered his face with Iori’s notebook.

Iori swallowed nervously, confused why Tenn was suddenly pouting like a child. Yet he was worried someone might hear Tenn crying and try to get in the room. So he frantically ran to the bed and sat next to him. “D-don’t cry Kujou-san. Please. I apologize for saying that,” He said. “It’s just that… I’m not sure what you want from me…” Iori was bad at social interaction.

Tenn whimpered. “Hug me,” He suddenly stated.

Iori’s eyes widened. “H-…hug you?” He asked, confused. He hesitated for a moment. He knew he had to be careful. Tenn was manipulative and knew how to get anything he wanted. Yet Iori figured there was nothing wrong with a hug. It would be a simple gesture that couldn’t escalate into anything more. Sighing, Iori reached out and wrapped an arm around Tenn. “Grown men should not hug each other…” He muttered. He pulled Tenn close to his body.

“Ah!” Tenn gasped, forced to lean into Iori. He nuzzled against Iori’s chest as Iori’s left arm held him in place. Once he had gotten what he wanted, he smirked devilishly. Yet Iori couldn’t see it. “Thank you…” He whispered, in that adorable sweet tone he used on TV. “Your hugs are warm. And nice. I could fall asleep right here…” Tenn smiled. As he was nuzzled against Iori’s chest, he briefly indulged in Iori’s scent, able to sniff his jacket and shirt. It smelled so sweet. It smelled like Iori. Somehow, he really enjoyed that scent. He also sensed the hint of _Deceitful Charm_ laced within the fabric of his clothing. That scent was quite arousing. And it suited Iori well. “You’re kinder than I thought, Iori Izumi…” Tenn purred, like a cat.

Iori twitched. When Tenn rubbed against his chest like that, it really felt like a cat. Shit. Iori’s weakness. Iori was glad Tenn couldn’t see his face, because he was blushing so much. “Tch. What’s that supposed to mean?” He growled. Subconsciously, he began rubbed his palm up and down Tenn’s shoulder and arm, in attempt to make him feel better. “Anyways. What was the question you had for me?”

“Nn…” Tenn sighed, as Iori rubbed him. He wondered if Iori even knew he was doing it. It made Tenn feel like Iori’s little girlfriend. His touches were so lovely. Tenn ignored Iori’s inquiry and changed the subject. “I know you can’t stop thinking about that kiss.”

Iori froze. “WHAT!?”

Tenn squeezed Iori’s notebook to his chest. “Shut up. You know what I’m talking about. It’s not like you’ve been able to erase that tender moment from your mind. After all, it was your first kiss.”

Iori shuddered at Tenn’s words. He wished he hadn’t admitted that was his first kiss. He felt his heart sink and tried to hide it. “I don’t want to have this conversation…”

“People never forget their first kiss,” Tenn whispered. He leaned up and moved his lips to Iori’s ear. “You’ll remember it for the rest of your life…” He whispered. “Don’t you at least want to think of it as a good memory? Rather than…something you’re suppressing?”

Iori rapidly shook his head. “N-no! Please stop!” He begged, shivered.

“Shhh…” Tenn hushed him. He put his hand on Iori’s head and began petting his soft, raven hair. Iori was soothed instantly. He squeezed his eyes shut and trembled. “Ahaha! Amazing! You really are obedient. But I suppose this is what I should expect. You’re a younger brother, after all. You’re good at obeying,” He laughed. Then he suddenly frowned. “And I’m good at commanding…” He suddenly grabbed a fist full of Iori’s shirt and yanked him forwards.

“Uwah!” Iori gasped, his face just inches away from Tenn’s. “Kujou-san, please wait!”

Tenn stared into Iori’s eyes. Deeper. And deeper. It was almost like he was looking for something. Something he couldn’t find. “Damn it… what is it?” He hissed.

Iori swallowed. “What’s what?”

“What is it!? Damn it, what’s so special about you!? Why you!?” Tenn roared. “You’re my rival! I am not meant to feel this way about you!” He screamed.

“Kujou-san! You’re not making any sense!”

“Urg! Your emotions are stone cold, Iori Izumi! You’re like a god damn robot! Have you no heart at all!?” Tenn sobbed. He looked at Iori with sadness in his eyes. “I can’t stop thinking about you recently. Day in and day out. Your gorgeous face in the only thing on my mind…” He admitted. “And I hate it.”

“Kujou-san?”

 “Iori…” Tenn growled. He let go of Iori’s shirt and sighed in defeat. “I’m not an idiot, you know. I am a professional in the entertainment industry. I know better than to fall in love. And I certainly know better than to fall in love with a _rival_. But… I need to know…” He looked up and made direct eyecontact. “I’m ready to ask my question now. You’re smart and I need you to answer it for me,” He begged.

Iori swallowed. He didn’t know what Tenn was up to. But he decided to listen to his request. “I’ll do my best…” He promised.

Tenn’s lip quivered. He sounded like he really didn’t want to say it out loud. But he did, anyways:

_“Why does my heart ache so much when I see you talking to Riku?”_

Iori’s eyes went wide. He couldn’t believe what he had just heard. It felt like the world had stopped turning. That simple, fragile question right there was the last thing he expected to be asked. “You…Kujou-san….” He whispered. “B-but. Kujou-san, I-! Ah!” Iori gasped.

Without warning, Tenn suddenly latched his lips onto Iori’s neck. He began pressing multiple kisses all over Iori’s neck and collar. His teeth nibbled Iori’s skin, sending jolts of lightning down his spine. Paralyzing him. It happened so fast, Iori’s mind went blank. And he couldn’t move. He remained, frozen, as Tenn’s soft lips lavished his skin. Then, he felt a hot tongue run up his neck. Iori was weak. He had to cover his mouth in attempt to suppress a moan. “A- Kujou-san, stop!”

“Iori…You know you like it…” Tenn groaned in Iori’s ear. Then, he tossed Iori’s notebook over his shoulder. It hit the ground behind him. While the noise acted as a distraction, Tenn suddenly pushed Iori back. And pinned him to the bed.

“Ah!” Iori squealed.

Tenn crawled on top of Iori and looked down at him. “Damn it. You really are cute.”

Iori was blushing madly. “I am not! Stop saying that cursed word!” He shrieked, covering his ears like a child.

Tenn merely chuckled. “And you really are a younger brother…” He smiled. “Damn it. Damn it! Why is this happening!?” He tugged at his strawberry hair in aggravation.

“Y-you’re the one doing everything!” Iori shouted.

“Urg! Shut up!” Tenn hissed. He quickly leaned down and pressed his lips to Iori’s.

“MMH!” Iori gasped. He suffocated in Tenn’s lips. And instantly, memories of last week rushed into his mind. That sweet taste he had thought about day in and day out had finally returned. That tantalizing sensation that set every inch of his body on fire. Iori shivered for a moment. But then, on instinct, he slowly wrapped his arms around Tenn’s waist.

“Mm, Iori~” Tenn groaned. His voice was embroidered with desire. He deepened the kiss, slithering his tongue to Iori’s mouth. At first, Iori made an uncomfortable noise. Tenn knew Iori had never been kissed like that before in his life. But he thought it was cute. And it only made him want more.

“Kujou-san…”

“Iori…”

“W…we should stop. Stop!”

“Iori~!” Tenn only moaned louder. He had craved Iori for what felt like ages. Once he finally had him, he couldn’t stop. He began grinding his hips down onto Iori’s.

Iori’s breath hitched. “AH!” He threw his head back, breaking the kiss.

 _Gotcha_ , Tenn thought. All he needed to do was touch him there. Even with the kiss broken, he continued to grind his hips into Iori’s. His tight pants rubbed right over Iori’s crotch, desperately trying to get friction between them. Tenn panted slightly, digging his body into the other male’s.

“ _God_ …” Iori sighed. He had to admit. Tenn felt amazing. Mindbreakingly amazing. Iori was feeling a new heat in his body he had never experienced before. A burning desire to touch and be touched. Truly, something he had never felt before. And Tenn was the one stirring those feelings within him. Of all people. Trigger’s Tenn Kujou.

“I…hate you…” Tenn growled. He continued to roll his hips in tiny circles on Iori’s lap. “I hate you so god damn much, Iori…”

Iori felt so hot he could hardly think. “D-…d-don’t…d…” He slurred, feeling dizzy.

Tenn swallowed hard. He kissed Iori’s lips again, pulling away with a string of saliva connecting them briefly, before dissolving into thin air. “Mh! Don’t what!?” He sobbed, frustrated by the pleasure.

Iori felt like crying. Deep down, he knew this was so wrong. He despised the fact that Tenn had stolen a kiss from him. He didn’t want Tenn to steal anything else. Yet his body was betraying him. Iori always thought his mind was the strongest part of him. Turns out he was wrong.

“Don’t _stop~!”_ Iori suddenly moaned. He covered his face, mortified. Yet Tenn had suceeded in breaking him. Mindlessly, his hips began grinding back against Tenn’s. He could feel his erection poking upward. And he could feel Tenn’s jabbing him as well. “Kujou-san…it’s so hot. Ah, don’t stop. Don’t you dare stop…”

“Iori~!” Tenn moaned. He quickly reached and stripped his jacket off. He tossed it aside, and then quickly went to remove his shirt as well. Iori’s eyes were glued on Tenn as he began to strip. Somehow, he felt like he was about to get a lap dance from an exotic dancer.  “Stop staring, idiot,” Tenn hissed, tossing his shirt off the bed. “I’m not a stripper.”

Iori breathed heavily, feeling uncomfortable tightness in his pants. “Shut up,” He commanded. He quickly grabbed Tenn and flipped him over.

“Ah!” Tenn gasped. Soon, Iori had switched their positions. Now he was the one pinning Tenn down, on top of him. His heart melted when he saw the adorable look on Tenn’s face. He had never seen something so beautiful in his life. “Hahh…ah…nm…” Tenn huffed softly. “What are you staring at?” He growled. His cheeks were so perfectly flushed. He had such gorgeous, fragile porcelain skin. Yet now, his face had become the most beautiful shade of pink. It matched his eyes. Those stunning, rose-petal eyes. Iori had always secretly liked Tenn’s eyes. They were like kitten eyes. And Iori had always adored cats. Tenn looked up at him, blinking innocently. And this time, it wasn’t fake. He was completely at Iori’s mercy.

And it made Iori’s heart melt. “You’re beautiful…” He reached down and touched the side of Tenn’s cheek. “Ah. Your face is really warm.”

Tenn bit his lip. “Don’t say such things out loud!” He slapped Iori’s hand away. He sighed. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

Iori swallowed. Everything had escalated so quickly. “Me neither…” He whispered. His eyes trailed down Tenn’s body, indulging in every gorgeous inch. He saw Tenn’s bare chest. He was so slender and thin. Almost like a girl. He had a really cute chest. Iori nearly started drooling, and had to swallow roughly.

Tenn noticed Iori staring. And he quickly spoke up. “You can touch them, if you want…” He offered. He cupped his own chest and rolled his fingertips over his nipples. “I’ve…a-always been quite sensitive here…” He groaned, touching himself more.

Iori’s body was on fire. Watching Tenn touch himself was the sexiest thing he had ever seen. “Kujou-san…” He whispered. “You’re stuttering.”

Tenn scowled. “Shut up! Just shut up and touch me!” He snapped. He grabbed Iori’s hands and pressed them to his chest. His body rose up and down as he breathed erratically. With Iori’s hands on his chest, he sighed peacefully and closed his eyes. It felt so right.

Iori didn’t have time to revolt. Once his hands were on Tenn’s chest, he couldn’t pull away. Partly because Tenn was pinning his hands there. But also because it felt so nice. Iori began rubbing his fingers over Tenn’s nipples. Flicking, and pinching the tiny pink nubs between his digits.

Tenn bit his lip and rolled his head to the side. “Fuck…!”

Iori frowned. “Please do not use foul language.”

As the moment was ruined, Tenn glared up at Iori. “I _fucking_ hate you.”

“Shh…” Iori hushed the other male. He brushed Tenn’s hands away so he could see his chest fully. Then he proceeded to lean down and press a kiss on Tenn’s left nipple. He began swirling his tongue around it, leaving a hot trail of saliva.

“Mhn…” Tenn groaned. He felt tingles all over his body. A hot, burning passion he couldn’t control. He reached down and pet Iori’s head gently. “That feels so good…Ah!”

“You _are_ quite sensitive here…” Iori realized, sucking on Tenn’s chest. He bit down softly on his nipple, wanting to see Tenn’s reaction.

Tenn instantly jolted in reaction. “A-aah!” He bucked his hips up and his erection clashed with Iori’s. “Shit!”

“Kujou-san!” Iori gasped.

Tenn panted harder. He couldn’t stand it any longer. “Strip me,” He commanded. “Strip the rest of my clothes off. Now. My pants and underwear.”

Iori blushed harder. “Eh!?”

“Did I fucking stutter?” Tenn grabbed Iori’s shirt and yanked his face closer. “It’s burning up in here. And I’m blaming you. Strip me!” He ordered. He grabbed Iori’s face and pressed their lips together roughly, dragging him into a messy, sloppy lip lock.

“Ahhm!” Iori’s words were caught in his throat. He kissed Tenn back, feeling his tongue inside his mouth. As they continued to kiss, Iori reached down and began unzipping Tenn’s pants. Then, their lips parted so Tenn could lift his hips. Iori threw Tenn’s pants to the side. And looked back down at Tenn, who was now just in his underwear. He wore pink and black boy shorts that hugged his hips perfectly, highlighting his gorgeous curves. They fit his style very well. Iori blushed. “Cute…”

Tenn lifted his hips for Iori again, urging him to remove the last garment. “Hurry up…” He growled, impatiently. He fanned his face with his hand, like a diva. The heat was really getting to him.

Iori merely rolled his eyes. He expected this much fromTenn. “Kujou-san…are you sure?” He asked. He saw Tenn’s erection poking through the undergarment. Without thinking, he reached down and touched it with his palm, applying pressure to it.

“Yes you fool, I’m-! Ahhh~” Tenn moaned when Iori touched him there. He hissed under his breath, unsure at how just a simple touch from Iori made him into such a mess. “I’m sure!” He answered. He grabbed Iori’s hand and held it to the left side of his face. “Iori…I want you so badly…”

Iori felt how warm Tenn’s face was against his palm. God, it set his heart a blaze. Without asking twice, he moved back down and stripped off Tenn’s undergarment, throwing it aside. When he looked back down, he saw Tenn completely nude below him. And Tenn showed no shame. He sighed peacefully and stretched his limbs in a sexual manner. He was drop dead gorgeous. And he knew it. So curvy and soft. Somehow, so feminine. Tenn chuckled. “Like what you see, little Izumi?” He smirked.

Iori realized he had been staring. He quickly looked away, humiliated. “You’re really…an angel…” He whispered.

Tenn flipped his hair, moving his sweaty bangs to the side. “I know,” He grinned.

Iori was blushing madly. Yet he slowly reached down, and put his hands on Tenn’s waist. He wanted to feel him so badly. Tenn was so slim, his body fit perfectly in Iori’s palms. Iori swallowed. When he touched him like that, it felt like he had complete control over Tenn. He began rubbing his palms up and down Tenn’s sides, caressing and worshipping every inch of his body. It stirred up a new emotion in Iori he had never felt before. Dominant instinct.

“You’re a virgin, aren’t you?” Tenn suddenly asked.

Iori gasped and yanked away. “WHAT!?”

Tenn sighed. “I knew it,” He realized. “Damn. But I don’t care. I still want you, Iori. And I know you want me. Fair?”

Iori swallowed. “You mean…” He whispered. “You’re not a…v-v-virgin?”

"Pft. _V-v-virgin!?"_ Tenn mocked Iori's stuttering voice. He shook his head. “Of course not,” He answered, truthfully. “I’m older than you, you know.”

Iori frowned. “Only by one year!” He snapped.

“Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Shut up now. You’ve already ruined the moment,” Tenn complained. "Put your hands back on my waist. It felt good."

“Y-you’re the one who suddenly asked me such an embarrassing ques-!”

“Shh.” Tenn grabbed Iori’s right hand and wrapped it around his cock. “Touch me.”

“Uwah!” Iori squealed, feeling Tenn’s dick in his hand. Everything was happening so sudden, he couldn't keep up. He looked down at Tenn's cock before stroking it gently. It was smaller and thinner than his. But god. It was so cute. Could a dick even be cute? Tenn’s was. Jesus Christ, Tenn’s was adorable. Iori found nearly everything cute. And he started feeling dizzy as he moved his hand faster. He leaned down to Tenn’s face, wanting to see him melt. “H-how’s this?”

"Ah! Ah!” Tenn gasped, as Iori pumped his cock. “God yes… just like that, Iori~” He moaned. He felt the pleasure escalate when Iori leaned his face down closer. Being watching so intensely was turning him on. Tenn just loved having all eyes on him. Plus, the scent of _Deceitful Charm_ still lingered in the air, and it wasn’t helping. Tenn started relating that entire scent to Iori. And when he closed his eyes, his entire mind was filled with thoughts of Iori. “Iori! Iori!” He gasped, in pleasure. Soon, he couldn’t stop saying his name. “You’re amazing, Iori…”

Iori smirked. He thought Tenn’s moans were absolutely precious. “Kujou-san…I love how you say my name…say it again…” He whispered in his ear.

“Hnh…” Tenn groaned. Iori whispering in his ear turned him on even more. He felt his cock harden in Iori’s palm. “I…Iori~!” He sobbed, desperately. He let another moment pass, allowing Iori to slowly jerk him off. Then, he looked back up at him. "Take your shirt off."

Iori didn't even think twice. His mind was gone, completly shutting everything in the world out- except for Tenn Kujou. He nervously removed his jacket and shirt, with shaky hands. He folded them briefly and placed them aside. Then he looked back at Tenn. “Satisfied?”

Tenn’s eyes widened. He was truly stunned. “Iori…” He whispered, shocked the other boy had complied. Iori wasn't the most muscular boy in the world. But he was clearly more physically mature than Tenn. He had broad shoulders and a toned torso. Tenn shifted his hips in arousal. "You’re quite sexy, Iori. I’m impressed,” He praised.

Iori looked at Tenn sheepishly. No one had ever called him sexy before. And truth be told, Iori never thught of himself as such. He would rather be studying or organizing events for Idolish7, rather than focusing on his looks. Yet when Tenn complimented his appearance, he realized he truly liked hearing it. It boosted his confidence. Made him feel braver. And somehow…feel more dominant. “Really?” He asked, looking down at his body.

Tenn nodded. “Yes. Now take off your pants."

Iori swallowed. But he complied and removed the rest of his clothing. Soon, he was entirely nude. And looked down at Tenn shyly. No one had ever seen him naked before. Except Mitsuki. And that one awkward time Nagi wandered into the bathroom without knocking. 

Tenn instantly grinned with sucess. “Heh heh. Come here.” He wrapped his arms around Iori’s neck and drew him in. He pulled the younger male on top of him, so Tenn was on his back and Iori was right above him. “Ahh…” He groaned, feeling Iori’s bare skin against his. It felt so good. Warm and soft. Tenn had never been with anyone that felt like that before. He pushed his hips against Iori’s and grinded against him again. Though this time, it felt entirely different as there were no longer clothes to separate them. “Mn. Oh god. It’s big…” Tenn whimpered.

Iori swallowed. He buried his face at the side of Tenn’s neck in order to hide his flustered face. “Is it?” He began pressing kisses all over Tenn’s neck, down lower and lower to his chest.

Tenn started panting again. Iori’s lips felt amazing on his bare skin. “Yeah…” He sighed. “I mean, I’ve had bigger. But you’ve truly exceeded my expectations, Iori,” He smirked, shamelessly. “Ahaha~ I can’t wait to feel it inside me, darling.”

As Iori trailed love marks all over Tenn’s neck and collar, he began analyzing the situation. He had lost track of time a long while ago. In fact, it felt like nothing else in the world mattered in that moment. Nothing but Tenn Kujou. Everything had escalated so quickly, and now, Iori couldn’t stop himself from pleasuring the divine boy beneath him. He had never seen anyone as beautiful as Tenn. He was so strikingly tempting. Enthralling. Enchanting. Everything about Tenn was irresistable. And Iori had become addicted. It’s not like Iori was some sort of pervert. In fact, he had never taken a real interst in sex before in his life. Yet perhaps, that was why he couldn’t control himself in that moment. Tenn was stirring up new emotions in him, and pulling out a side not even Iori knew existed. Soon, those new lustful emotions had taken control of his calculative mind. And there was no turning back.

“You’re so sexy, Iori…” Tenn worshipped, rubbing his palms up Iori’s stomach and chest. He continued to feel him up, learning the curves and surface of his body. Meanwhile, Iori continued to play with Tenn’s little nipples, and use his tongue to pleasure his neck. Tenn’s petiete hands loved the feel of Iori’s skin. And Iori's lips loved the sweet taste of Tenn's flesh. “Mhh, yeah…Iori, I can’t wait any longer…”

“Kujou-san…” Iori moaned in his ear. “N-neither can I…”

Tenn smirked. “I…I already prepared myself…” He admitted. “Before coming into your room. Just in case something like this would happen…”

Iori’s eyes widened. Tenn had already prepared himself? Did he plan for this to happen!? No, no. deep down, Iori knew the truth. Neither of them planned any of this. Somehow, just being alone together made them like this. If anything, Tenn was smart to be prepared for anything. Iori, on the other hand, could still hardly process the situation. “No more talking,” Iori suddenly commanded. “It’s embarrassing. Just…let me do this.” He caressed the side of Tenn’s face. “Ok?”

Tenn smirked. He didn’t say a word, and nodded innocently. Like an obideant little boy. The next thing he knew, Iori was pressing his tip onto his entrance. Tenn gasped, bitting bis lip. He debated whether or not to speak up, and tell Iori to start with something smaller before beginning with that. Yet he had been told not to speak. And truth me told, Tenn didn’t mind a little pain. He put his hands above his head and clenched onto the pillow. “Nn…Ah! Ahmm!”

“Shh…” Iori hushed his partner. “You’re so tight, Kujou-san…” He huffed. “So tight…so good…” He pressed himself in deeper, making Tenn shiver and groan in pain. "It's sucking me in...Like it can't wait to devour it..." His cock penetrated Tenn's entrance, slipping in with the lube that already coated the hole. Eventually, he succeeded in putting it in all the way. He sighed with relief and wiped sweat from his forehead. "Th-there. I-it's in..." He stuttered. Iori had never felt a sensation so amazing as being inside of Tenn. It was so tight and he felt deep fulfillment. “K…Kujou-san…” He took a deep breath. Then, he began moving his hips. Soft, gentle thrusts- the most kind and tender feeling Tenn had ever been blessed with. In bed, Iori acted exactly as he did in real life. He was sweet, soft, and treated everything so fragile. Tenn and him fit together so perfectly- like exact puzzle pieces. He continued to thrust at a steady, even pace, feeling exhillerating pleasure flood into his body. Iori always loved perfection. And Tenn felt beyond perfect.

Tenn gripped the blankets and sheets, trying to handle the intense feeling building up in his chest. It was so much. So passionate. His lungs were filled with the alluring scent of _Deceitful Charm_. And his mind was filled with alluring thoughts of Iori. Eventually, he couldn’t contain it. He parted his angelic lips to moan. “Aaaah! Y-yes! Yes!” He hiccupped with desire. “Oh yes, Iori! Ah…”

Iori was already experiencing the most spectacular pleasure of his life. Yet when Tenn started to groan those adorable sounds of pleasure, his heart truly burst. It was the most beautiful thing his ears had ever been blessed with. He began thrusting faster, wanting to pull more and more moans from Tenn’s lips. He wanted to own every inch of him. His mind, his body, his heart. Iori had a burning desire to control Tenn. All of him. “You like that?” He growled, looming over him.

“Y-yes!” Tenn gasped, submissively. The sounds of their bodies thrashing together was so harmonious. “You feel so a-amazing. Sh-shit…!” Tenn started playing with his nipples as Iori fucked his tight little hole. “Mmh. Harder…h-harder~” He begged, like a slut. “Fuck me, Iori~!” He knew just how to get what he wanted in bed. Whether he was trying to or not, Tenn was a master at seducing others. All he had to do was call out in that precious little voice of his. It encouraged Iori to bang him even harder, as it wired Iori's mind to crave that deliciously lewd voice.

Iori was entranced as he watched Tenn play with his chest. He started thrusting harder, and deeper. Jackhammering into Tenn’s entrance without mercy. He felt his pleasure escalate when Tenn moaned such things like “Yes” Or “Iori.” Those were his favroites. It made Tenn sound so desperate for him. He exhaled heavily, himself: _"So good..."_

Iori was a perfectionist. As such, he tried his best in absolutely everything he did. Even though being this erotically intimate was new to him, he was already flawless at it. Tenn couldn’t stand it. Soon, he felt Iori’s hard cock jab against his sweet spot. He made it awfully clear and bucked his hips in anticipation. “Hyaaa! R-…right there! th-there!” He gasped, the tiny bundle of nerves inside of him craving stimulation.

“Kujou-san…”

“Mhnn, Iori! Right there!”

“Kujou-san…”

“Ah! _Ah! AH!_ Iori, I’m close! You’re so fucking good… _aaaah~”_

Iori felt his climax rising as well. In that heated moment, nothing else mattered but bringing Tenn to his height. Iori was a pro at guiding people and leading them to success. It was why he helped with Idolish7’s management, after all. Yet now, he yearned to use his perfectionism and his guidance to give Tenn the best orgasm he had ever experienced in his life. Without warning, he leaned down and smashed his lips to Tenn’s. Tenn was so shocked, his body jolted in a quick spasm. He suffocated in Iori’s lips, choking on the last bit of air he had left. His tongue twisted around Iori’s in a hot, chaotic mess. He put his arms around his neck and sobbed into his lips. After a few more deep thrusts, Tenn arched his back. "IORI!"

"Cum for me, Kujou-san."

“Hyaaa! AAH! YES!” The passionate moan ripped from his throat. “IORI!” Tenn came, spraying white all over his chest and tummy. Some of it got on Iori, as well. So hot and sticky. Iori came himself, only seconds after. He unloaded hot, steaming liquid inside Tenn. And Tenn cried out even more. “Give it to me…fuck yeah, g-give it to me!”

Iori panted, not beliving how intense his orgasm had been. It was far beyond anything he had ever experienced alone before. He felt like he could touch the heavens. Or at least, touch an angel.

After catching his breath, Iori pulled out of Tenn. His cum leaked from Tenn’s entrance, making Tenn shiver submissively. Yet he loved that feeling. The feeling of being owned. He gazed at the ceiling, huffing for air as Iori exhaustedly laid down next to him. A moment passed of both boys trying to catch their breath. Then Tenn smiled up at the ceiling, smirking that devilish grin of his. “You’re amazing, Iori,” He praised. He turned his head to look at the boy next to him. And he suddenly frowned when he witnessed Iori curled up under the blankets, facing the other way. “Oi,” He growled, grabbing Iori’s shoulder and forcing him to roll back over. “Iori.”

Iori had his hands over his face. When Tenn rolled him over, he made a soft snifling sound. Then, he slowly moved his hands away and reveled his expression. Tears spilled from his silver eyes, running down his cheeks like rivers. He looked at Tenn, gray orbs sparkling. And he sobbed, unable to get proper words out.

Tenn’s eyes widened. “Iori….you’re crying?” He asked. Then he smirked. “Ha. Was it that amazing? I suppose you did well for your first time,” He folded his arms, sticking his nose up. He tried to act like it wasn’t the most amazing sex he had ever had. Yet, lying about it was hard, even for Tenn Kujou. It had truly been the most pleasureable night of his life.

Iori dried his tears the bedsheet, feeling quite foolish. “I’m s-sorry,” He apoligized quickly. He didn’t know whether he was crying out of how beautiful the sex was, or because he regretted everything. But one thing was for certain: His emotions were a mess. He had worried so much about the media finding out about their kiss. Yet compared to what just happened, the kiss was nothing. If anyone ever found out about what they just did, it could mean the end of Idolish7 and the end of Trigger. Permenatly.

"Kujou-san! Do you know what we've done-!?"

“-Stop crying,” Tenn interupted. “I don’t care how cute you look right now, stop crying already.”

Iori looked at Tenn. “You think I’m…cute?” He asked.

Tenn swallowed hard. Just something about Iori made his heart race. It had been driving him crazy for days, wondering what that special thing was. And now, he finally realzed what it was. It was _everything_. Tenn loved _everything about Iori._

“Yes. You’re cute. Satisfied?” Tenn crawled closer to Iori. He brushed Iori's raven bangs back and began pressing gentle kisses on his cheeks, cleaning up his tears. Iori’s snifflng died down and he let Tenn clean his tears like a kitten licking his face.

“I’m sorry…” He apologized. “I’m ok.”

Tenn kissed Iori’s forehead before pulling away. “There’s no need to apologize.” He sat up and grabbed his shirt. As if nothing had happened, as if he had done this routine a million times, he sat on the edge of the bed and began buttoning his shirt back up. Iori watched, staring at Tenn’s back. He was about to speak up, but Tenn suddenly continued. “You’ve made me feel something I’ve never felt with anyone before, Iori Izumi…” He stated. “Perhaps I’ve come to hate you a little less,” He teased.

Iori exhaled and gazed back up at the ceiling. His emotions were scattered in a million pieces. He had never felt so confused in his life. His body still felt warm from embracing Tenn. Yet the warmth was most intence on his face. From blushing. From the tears on his cheeks. From the kisses on his lips. He slowly reached up and touched the right side of his face. Then he closed his eyes, basking in the deceitful charm.

“Good for you," He replied. "Because...I think I've come to hate myself a little more..."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter ----> IORIKU


	3. Right, left, and wrong

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It only took one look into Iori’s eyes for Riku to gain the confidence he needed. With one deep breath, he lunged forwards and latched onto Iori’s shirt. “Iori! I…I love you!”

“If I have to watch one more second of _The Titanic_ , I’m gonna drown myself.”

“It’s a good movie, Tenn,” Ryu sobbed, drying his tears with a tissue.

Trigger was supposed to meet at Yaotome Productions for a meeting. Currently, Tenn and Ryu were sitting in the room alone, waiting for Gaku. Tenn sighed with aggravation and folded his arms over his chest. “That idiot… forgetting me…”

Suddenly, the door unlocked and footsteps were heard entering the room. Tenn instantly jumped up and shot a glare over in the direction of the noise. “You’re late,” He hissed.

Gaku didn’t even spare Tenn a glance as he removed his jacket and hung it up. “Yeah, yeah. Give me a break. It’s pouring outside. I could hardly see the road,” He huffed. Hair wet and messy from the storm, he calmly walked over to join his idolmates in the sitting area. After plopping down, he pulled out his phone. There was silence for a moment as Gaku just sat there, mindlessly scrolling through his phone.

Tenn couldn’t stand being ignored. He sat back down in his usual chair. “Stop texting,” He ordered.

Yet Gaku just rolled his eyes. “Shut up, brat. I can do what I want,” He insisted. “If you guys are just gonna sit here in silence, I might as well talk to someone who will talk back.”

Tenn’s face instantly burned with rage. He knew exactly who Gaku was speaking of. “Leave that woman alone,” He commanded. “I’m sure the manager of Idolish7 has better things to do than waste her time on you.”

“Shut up!” Gaku shouted. “And don’t call her ‘that woman.’ Unlike you, Tsumugi is kind to me. You said it yourself! We are not friends. We’re _business partners_ , remember?” He mocked Tenn’s words. “Nothing more?”

Tenn ground his teeth together. “That woman-!”

 “Stop! Stop it already!” Ryu suddenly spoke up. “Please don’t fight. Anesagi-san said this meeting is meant to help us with chemistry. I believe you in you guys. I believe in us together! I believe…in Trigger,” He said with determination. “Don’t you believe in Trigger too?”

Gaku’s expression softened when he heard Ryu’s comment. Sighing, he put his phone down. “Of course I do.” He looked directly at Tenn. “I believe in Trigger. Our music, our bonds, our legacy. But most of all I believe wholeheartedly in our center.”

Tenn suddenly perked up. His angry expression faded and he looked at Gaku with wide, sparkling eyes. His cheeks blushed the purest shade of pink, shocked at why Gaku was suddenly praising him. “H…How can you say that with such a straight face!? Isn’t it embarrassing?” He looked away, cheeks burning red.

Ryu smiled, glad the fighting had stopped. “We all believe in each other,” He stated, happily. “That’s what makes us so great!” He cheered. Yet Tenn clenched his hands into fists. He didn’t understand how Gaku could yell at him one moment, then praise him the next. He was sick of being played like that. Ryu suddenly spoke up again. “Besides, it’s not like Gaku can really be with Tsumugi-chan. We’re famous! And famous people can’t fall in love,” He explained. “President Yaotome told us that a long time ago. Remember? Idols don’t have time for love. It’s taboo. Forbidden. Especially since Tsumugi-chan is the manager of our rival group,” He stated. “So there’s nothing to worry. Gaku can’t be with her,” He explained. Then he suddenly turned red. “Uwahh, sorry! Was that rude? I didn’t mean for it to sound rude! I was just explaining what President Yaotome said one ti-!”

“No, it’s fine,” Gaku sighed. He ran a hand through his messy silver hair in exhaustion. “You’re right, Ryu. Tsumugi and I can probably never be together. Simply because I’m an idol. And it would cause a scandal,” He agreed. Then he looked back up, with determination in his eyes. “But I don’t give a damn. Screw the rules and screw my old man! I’ll chase after Tsumugi forever,” He said bravely. He placed a hand over his chest, vowing to himself. “Even if she were to reject me a million times, I’ll never give up on her. I care about her too much. And that will never change,” He swore.

“Gaku…” Ryu’s eyes sparkled. “That’s beautiful!” He smiled, supportively.

Yet Tenn did anything but smile. As he heard Gaku rant on and on, he only felt his rage boiling over. He wished so desperately he could storm over to Gaku and slap that miserable look off his face. Yet his train of thought suddenly crashed. He looked at the TV to see a commercial. It was the cologne commercial they had filmed. Images of the Trigger boys with girls surrounding them was displayed. Then, Idolish7- minus Riku- walked out and spoke about the product.

“It’s an aroma that will make anyone’s heart race!” Mitsuki smiled at the camera.

“Try it. You won’t regret it,” Nagi winked.

Then the camera narrowed in on one person. Iori Izumi. He held the cologne bottle and made direct eye contact into the lense. His eyelids batted a few times, fluttering charmingly before he parted his soft lips to speak.

“You’ll never forget a tender moment shrouded in this alluring temptation. Follow your heart. And together, the two of us can embrace.” He lifted a single finger to his lips, as if hushing the audience. “It’s our little secret.”

A moment of silence passed. And soon, the commercial ended.

“Wow! Everyone looked great!” Ryu broke the silence. “I’m so glad we had the chance to collaborate with Idolish7 for that project! But its unfortunate Riku couldn’t be a part of it…”

“Famous people cannot fall in love…” Tenn muttered under his breath. “Ha. We all know that's wrong.”

**_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_ **

 

_Today will not be special. I've finished all of my school work, and Idolish7 has the day off. Therefore, I have the rare pleasure of freetime today. It isn't often this occurs and truthfully, I am perplexed on how I should dedicate my time. I was making a cup of tea when Nanase-san entered the kitchen and requested my company. Apparently, he wishes to go out and buy sweets for everyone today. His face lit up in a rather adorable manner as he expressed his interest in purchasing cookies, cupcakes, and donuts. I do not have much interests in sweets, especially when they are not made by Nii-san. Yet I complied to accompany him to the bakery. I am writing this journal entry before I head for the door to depart with him. What an utterly uneventful day._

 

"These donuts smell so good, Iori!" Riku giggled, as he exited the bakery with his idolmate. "I hope everyone at the dorm likes them. There were so many flavors! Chocolate, double chocolate, double chocolate chip, fudge chocolate, double fudge chocolate ch-!"

"I know, Nanase-san. I was there," Iori rolled his eyes as he followed Riku. He sighed as they made it down the sidewalk of the town, heading home. Truth be told, he hadn’t slept in days. Each time he curled up in his bed and closed his eyes, all he could think about was Tenn Kujou. He had done something forbidden. A taboo in the entertainment industry. Not only did he involve himself in physical relations with someone, but that someone happened to be a rival of Idolish7. Things had gotten out of hand. And the moment had escalated so quickly. Iori slept with Tenn and he couldn’t erase those intoxicating memories from his calculative mind. Iori was quiet, and good at keeping secrets. But even so, this was huge. And he had trouble not turning red whenever he saw an advertisement for Trigger, or heard people gossiping about the angelic Tenn Kujou in public. The regret was suffocating.

                But the worst part was something even more appalling. Since the night with Tenn, whenever Iori looked at Riku, he couldn’t unsee his brother. They were twins. And perhaps that was why it was so powerful. Iori could no longer look at Riku without seeing Tenn. His soft, asymmetrical hair. His dazzling, strawberry eyes. Everything from the luscious curves of his body, to the slender, petite size of his hands. It all reminded him of Tenn.

                Images of the seductive boy, panting and gasping for air flooded his mind. The delectably lewd way Tenn had moaned Iori’s name. The way his fragile body twisted and curved to counter Iori’s movements. And the priceless expressions he made when he climaxed. So beautiful. Clenching the bedsheets and sweating sugary sweet perspiration. He had such perfectly flushed cheeks, matching the rose-petal shade of his kitten-like eyes. Those sinful images had burned into Iori’s mind. And soon, it was hard to think about anything else.

                “Hello!? Earth to Iori! Didn’t you hear me? Oi!” Riku nudged Iori with his elbow. “Iori~”

                “Ah!” Iori gasped, snapping out of his trance. He realized he had zoned out for a long time, unaware of anything happening around him. He rubbed his forehead stressfully, trying to calm the racing beat of his pounding heart. “M-my apologizes. Did you say something, Nanase-san?”

                Riku frowned. “Are you alright, Iori? You look red. It’s unlike you to be so jittery,” He commented with concern. “I was just asking a question. But. Um. It’s silly. Forget I said anything.”

                Iori perked up when he heard Riku’s concern. It was truly gratifying knowing Riku worried for him. “What question?” He asked. “It’s not silly. Probably. Ask me again.”

                Riku sighed and looked down at his shoes as he walked on the sidewalk. “I think it’s silly…” He whispered. “I was just wondering what it would be like if we weren’t idols. You know. If we were just, like, normal people,” He began. “People with jobs and people with dreams. What would our lives be like then?” He pondered.

                Riku had quite the imaginative mind. Meanwhile, Iori was quite the opposite. He hardly ever daydreamed, and instead, perfered to live in the moment. “Nanase-san. We already are people with jobs and people with dreams,” He answered, shutting down the notion. “We are idols. And our dream is making the world smile. That’s what you said, correct? You want to become an existence that can spread smiles around the world?”

                Riku blushed at how Iori had memorized the exact words he had said in a previous interview. “No, Iori. That’s not what I meant,” He rebutted. He sighed, lost in his curious thoughts. “But I guess it’s best that we’re idols. I think if I wasn’t an idol, Tenn-nii and I wouldn’t get to see each other at all,” He realized. “Oh. Not that we get to hang out often anyways...” He recalled, remembering they were in two different groups.

Iori shuddered at the mention of Tenn’s name. Yet he cleared his throat and tried to act natural. “Don’t fret, Nanase-san. Becoming idols is the best thing that ever happened to us. All of us,” He preached. “We’ve all learned so much and grown as individuals. That kind of human progress is incomparable and we should be proud.”

As usual, Iori thought of everything as some sort of technical nonsense. Riku, on the other hand, saw things in a different light. “I guess…” He responded to Iori. Then he chuckled. “We really are opposites, aren’t we? Haha!” He laughed. “People say you are either right brain dominant, or left brain dominant. The left people are logical and methodical in stuff they do. And right people are artsy and emotional,” He explained. “Sogo-san explained this to me once. I think you and I are opposites, Iori. Because you’re a left and I’m a righty.”

Iori listened to Riku’s words. And for the first time in a long while, he understood and agreed with everything he said. “That’s very thought provoking. It must be the least foolish thing you’ve said all day. Perhaps in weeks.”

“Yay! Thanks!” Riku bubbled with joy. Then it clicked with him. “HEY!” He suddenly snapped.

Iori chuckled. “Just kidding,” He said, smirking to himself. Spending time with Riku always made him happy. Actually. No. That’s a lie. Riku usually stresses Iori out and worries him to death since he's so reckless and free-spirited. It’s made Iori very protective over him, as he always wants to ensure Riku never causes trouble or gets hurt. Since the day he promised to make Riku into a superstar, he alone has been the one slowly guiding him to success. By now, their relationship was practically symbiotic. There was just something about Riku Iori didn’t feel around anyone else. Perhaps it was stress. Perhaps it was worry. Or perhaps, it was something else.

“I guess that’s why we don’t get along often…” Riku suddenly mumbled, under his breath. “We’re complete opposites. I bet you would have preferred to be Fly Away with someone else. Like Sogo-san or Yamato-san. I’m sorry, Iori…” He whispered.

“Huh?” Iori looked at Riku. “What are you talking about?”

Riku shivered, tears nearly coming to his eyes. He squeezed the donut box to his chest, desperately hugging it for comfort. “I-It’s just hard! B-b-because we’re famous! I wish we could be...!” He suddenly stopped walking.

Iori stopped walking a few feet in front of Riku and turned to face him. “Nanase-san… What are you talking about?” He asked.

As the conversation fell into obscurity, the sky seemed to darken. Gray storm clouds rolled into the atmosphere. And the sound of thunder was audible from where the boys stood. The sky rumbled with a deep roar, as a storm began to brew. The clouds grew heavy. So much pent up energy needing to be released.

“You’re the one who usually fixes things, Iori! Because you’re the lefty! You’re so smart and intuitive, and… you know how to do everything! Compared to you, I’m…! I-I’m…!” Riku sobbed, as water began to stream down his cheeks. He trembled violently, unable to hold back his crumbling emotions.

The sky growled with thunder.

“Nanase-san…” Iori whispered. He was bad at communication. And bad at emotion in general. Confused, and not knowing what else to say, he simple repeated the same phrase he had already said twice: “What are you talking about?”

 _CRASH!_ Lightning slashed through the sky, slicing a heavy cloud right open. In an instant, rain poured down from above, drenching everything in a freezing, bitter despair.

“We’re so different. Too different! I’m sorry I’m not… good enough for you, Iori!” Riku suddenly shrieked. Then, without another word, he ran off in the polar direction.

Iori gasped. “NANASE-SAN!?”

Yet Riku continued to run, squeezing the white box in his hands. His shoes splashed through puddles of rain as he sustained to sprint through the morbid weather. Iori couldn’t believe what had just happened. And he couldn’t understand it either. Yet he didn’t need to. Without hesitation, he sprang into action and ran after Riku.

Several minutes passed as Iori desperately searched for Riku around the town. But with no luck, he couldn’t find him anywhere. He called his name a few times. And for the first time ever, he realized how foolish it sounded referring to him with his last name. It's not like he and Riku were strangers. Had Iori ever dared to say “Riku” before in his life? Before he could ponder it anymore, he suddenly found himself walking into a park. People ran past him, desperately trying to escape the rain. But Iori didn’t mind the weather. In that moment, Riku’s safety was all that mattered.

Eventually, Iori located his target. Underneath a large tree in the center of the park, sat Riku Nanase. He had his knees up, and was practically curled into a ball. His face was down, and there was no doubt he was crying. Iori didn’t think twice, and quickly ran to him.

“Nanase-san! Nanase-san!” He called. Once in front of him, Iori dropped to his knees and grabbed Riku’s shoulders. “Are you an idiot!?” Was the first thing out of his mouth. “What on earth do you think you’re doing!? Do not ever separate from me again! I was alone! Isolated! Don’t ever leave my side again, Nanase-san! Do you hear me!?”

“…I…Iori?” Riku squeaked. He slowly looked up at Iori and made direct eye contact. His ruby red orbs sparkled. His face was still wet with tears. Iori gased, as he realized something. That time, he didn’t see Tenn when he looked at Riku. He saw Riku. That beautiful, innocent boy who brightened everyone’s day. Idolish7’s center. Riku Nanase. “You came after me…” Riku whispered, in shock.

Yet Iori’s face merely twisted into confusion. “Of course I came after you!” He snapped. “You ran off without warning! And it’s raining! You could have tripped! Or gotten kidnapped! Or worse! That running must have been stressful on your lungs. You could have had an attack!” He screamed, shaking Riku’s shoulders. “Are you an idiot!?” He repeated.

Riku didn’t move. He didn’t move an inch. He just continued to gaze into Iori’s eyes. With shock. And with astonishment. “I didn’t think you would come after me…” He whispered. “I think… If it were anyone else, they probably would have left me. Everyone in my life…seems to abandon me…” He said. “But not Iori. You didn’t hesitate to chase after me. Why? You’re the only one who has remained by my side! And I-I!” He gasped, drying his tears with his sleeve. “I don’t d-deserve-!”

“Shut up,” Iori cut Riku off. He suddenly grabbed Riku and yanked him forwards. It was still raining. And the two boys were soaked with water. Yet Iori grabbed Riku and pulled him into his chest. He hugged him tightly, letting Riku rest his head on his chest. After swallowing nervously, he spoke up. “Don’t ever say something so stupid like that ever again. Of course I chased after you. You’re Nanase-san. And you’re important to me,” He informed. "I mean. Y-you’re important to Idolish7. Which is important to me,” He blushed, getting all tsundere.

“Iori…” Riku sniffled.

Iori sighed. “Look. I thought about what you said about the right and left brain dominant theory. And I believe it’s correct. You and I are exact opposites. Complete and utter, polar opposites. In the ways we think, in the ways we speak, and the ways we act...” He rambled.

Riku buried his nose in Iori’s chest and some of his tears soaked through Iori’s shirt. “I’m sorry…” He sobbed.

“Do not be sorry,” Iori continued. “You didn’t let me finish. I think it’s beautiful we are opposites,” He clarified. “Think about it. The sun and the moon are opposites. They are at the precise distance to create perfectly timed days and nights on earth. It wouldn’t be like that if they didn’t work together. They cooperate to create something beautiful they couldn’t do alone,” He explained. “Like hot and cold. Like comedy and tragedy. Like happiness and sadness. You cannot have one without the other. Only together, is there a harmonious balance…” He reached down and placed his hand under Riku’s chin. He slowly titled the boy’s chin upward, to gaze into his beautiful face. “Nanase-san. You are my balance. My stability. Without you, I’d be… imperfect. But with you…I-I…I have a sort of…”

“Perfection gimmick?” Riku suddenly spoke up.

Iori stared at him.

He stared at Iori.

Then at the same time, they both started laughing.

“Wh-what? Haha, Nanase-san, that wasn’t what I was going to say!” Iori chuckled. “That was imprudent!” He tried to hide his smile.

“Ahahaha!” Riku giggled. “Sorry, sorry! Haha, you walked right into that one, Iori!” He laughed happily.

As he laughed more and more, he seemed to be cheering up. Hearing that gorgeous voice giggle warmed Iori’s heart. Once Riku seemed back to his cherry self, Iori pulled away from him. Sighing, he stood up. “Anyways. You know what I mean. So what if I’m the left and you’re the right? That’s all the more reason we work well together. Two halves make a whole, correct?” He extended his hand down to Riku, in an attempt to help him stand back up. “Perhaps you are my other half, Nanase-san.”

Riku’s jaw dropped. He gazed up at Iori like he was a noble prince. And to Riku, who had just been rescued, he knew he really was. The rain had stopped trashing moments previous, and the sky finally began to light back up. Golden sunrays pierced through the clouds, illuminating the ground in a warm, peaceful light. As Riku looked up at Iori, it seemed as though light was shining off his silhouette.

“That’s kind of gay,” Riku said. Then he grabbed Iori’s hand and stood up, giggling. “Thanks, Iori. I feel better now.”

Iori smiled. Deep down, he always knew it. The reason he needed Riku. Iori was anti-social, systematic, and analytical. Meanwhile, Riku was social, scatterbrained, and free-spirited. Neither of them could function without the other. They needed each other to be balanced. Iori relied on Riku just as much as Riku relied on h-

“WAIT WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY!?” Iori jolted in alarm. “N-N-N…! Nanase-san! Excuse me!? Did you just say…g-g-g-g-…!”

Riku blushed. “Yeah. I said gay. You sounded pretty gay there, Iori,” He chuckled. “Sorry I ran away. The truth is, I’ve been thinking about a lot of stuff lately. And it’s more than just typical stuff.” He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “Hehe. Um… this is awkward…” His cheeks turned red.

Iori raised an eyebrow. “That’s enough fooling around, Nanase-san. We should head back home to the others now before they begin to worry.” He turned on his heels, about to walk off. “Come on and w-“

“WAIT!” Riku gasped. He grabbed Iori’s hand and squeezed it. Iori was so shocked he became paralyzed instantly. Riku froze up as well. He never imagined Iori’s hands would feel so warm. It made his heart skip a beat, and he was spellbound instantly. “S-sorry…” He pulled away, embarrassed. He took a deep breath before beginning again. “Iori? Remember when we first became idols? And manager said we had to audition? And she would kick four of us out? But we all passed the audition? And we all were so happy and w-“

“Please get to the point, Nanase-san.”

“Uwaah! Sorry, sorry! Righty brain!” Riku pointed to the right side of his head. He sighed, unsure of how to continue. “That day, President explained something very serious to us. He said that falling in love when you’re famous is the hardest thing ever. Because it’s taboo. Forbidden,” He explained. “President is kind. So he never said we _weren’t allowed_ to fall in love. But he did say we needed to be careful. Because our actions could end up hurting our agency, our fans, and even Idolish7! Well…” He paused.

“Well…” Iori urged him on.

It only took one look into Iori’s eyes for Riku to gain the confidence he needed. With one deep breath, he lunged forwards and latched onto Iori’s shirt. “Iori! I…I love you!” He suddenly announced. “I really, really…I-I’m in love with you! I don’t know when it happened. Or even how. But… these past few months I’ve been thinking long and hard. No one on earth makes me as happy as Iori does. Not Mitsuki-san, not Manager, not Momo-san, not even Tenn-nii!” He explained. The further he got into his explanation, the more of his nerves dissolved into thin air. Soon, Riku was giving the love confession of his life, with a huge smile on his face. A happy smile. Because had truly been excited for this moment. And nothing on earth could make him cheerier. “I love you, Iori. I love spending time with you and seeing you blush. I love the annoyed tone you use when you’re irritated. And I love the caring way you take care of everyone in Idolish7,” He went on. “I don’t really mind whether or not you scold me after this, because I think you’re cute when you’re angry. I’m being absolutely serious right now. I’m in love with you! And I want to be your boyfriend.”

Iori felt the world stop turning. Like the earth had froze on his axis. Yet despite that, he could feel the force of gravity weighing on his shoulders so intensely, he nearly collapsed. “You…l-love me?” He asked. “Ah!” He blushed, ashamed he had stuttered on the word ‘love.’ It made him sound like a sappy shoujo manga character, and he quickly covered his mouth in humiliation.

“Yes,” Riku answered. “My heart does this jumpy thing when I’m around you…” He explained. “I really love you. So much. Is that ok?”

Iori’s bottom lip quivered. “O-ok! Enough with the L-word please!” He begged. He placed his hand on his chin and briefly began to analyze the situation. Since the day they had met, Iori felt something for Riku he didn’t feel with anyone else. An urge to protect him. An urge to encourage him. A desire to help him achieve his dreams and guide him to success. He had experienced brief jealousies when people like Tsumugi or even his brother made Riku smile a little too much. And he had experienced nervousness around Riku he hadn’t felt with anyone else. Perhaps Iori really did love Riku back.

There was no doubt about it. No analyzing necessary. Iori had known the truth for a while. And it had only taken this long to accept it.

“Nanase-san…I feel the same…” Iori looked up. He had the softest, purest smile on his face. An expression of thrill and delight. A look he had never given anyone. “I really do...”

Riku’s face lit up. “IORI!” He gasped, truly shocked by the look he was getting. Iori nearly looked like a little kid again! “Really!?”

“Ahem. Yes, really. Must I really repeat myself? You truly are an idiot,” Iori crossed his arms. Yet he continued to smile. And gaze at Riku with loving eyes.

Riku bubbled with joy, tears wielding up in his eyes all over again. “IORI~!” He cheered. He dove onto Iori and hugged him tighly, squeezing him and clinging to him with all the joy in the world. “You’re so amazing! I love you! I love you so much!” He exclaimed. “Iori! Iori! You’ve made me the happiest person in the world!”

Iori couldn’t help but smile. He gently hugged Riku back, not beliving this was happening. “You make me happy too,” He said. Then he got embarrassed again. “Ahem. On occasion.”

Riku giggled. He looked up at Iori with hope in his gleaming eyes. “Hey Iori. Iori, Iori. Can we date? Let’s do it!”

Iori suddenly gasped. “What?” He let go of Riku. He felt fear seize him. Confessing was one thing. Going steady was another. “Nanase-san-“

“Pleaseeeee, Iori~!!!” Riku begged, folding his hands together like he was praying. “I really wanna be your boyfriend! I’ll be good and pack your lunches and massage your shoulders and wear cute aprons when I bake you sweets!” He had a weird idea of what dating was. He looked at Iori with determination. “I don’t care if its forbidden. We’re from the same agency, so it should be fine. Right? All we have to do is keep it a secret from the media. If the public never finds out, its all good!” He explained. “It’ll be easy. Like Momo-san and Yuki-san! The public thinks their married couple thing is an act. But we know they’re really in love. Come on, Iori~ Pleaseee Pleaseee!!” He begged, batting his eyelashes.

Iori swallowed. He. Could. Never. Say. No. To. That. Precious. Fucking. Face. And the truth was, dating Riku would be a dream come true for Iori. Noting on earth would make him happier.

In that moment, nothing else mattered. Not school, not studying, not singing or dancing, and not even Tenn Kujou. All that mattered was Riku. Making him smile and keeping that smile. "Well..." Iori began.

“Well!?” Riku went up on his tip toes, eagerly wagging his tail for Iori’s answer.

The sun was shining a glorious light by now. Perhaps there was even a rainbow in the sky. A gentle breeze picked up and blew lightly across the atmosphere. It was then when Iori realized they were standing under a cherry blossom tree. The delicate cherry blossoms sprinkled down, getting carried away in the wind. Iori thought Riku looked like a princess standkng in the cherry blossoms like that. Yet he couldn’t help but sigh.

“Did you seriously just confess to me under a sakura tree?” He frowned. “What, is this really a shoujo manga?”

Riku giggled. “Maaaybe~” He teased.

Iori couldn’t help but smile. He took Riku’s hand in his and sighed. “Fine. I accept your request. I’ll become your boyfriend. And in return, you may be mine,” He talked so formally, even when it came to romance.

Yet Riku didn’t care. And his face lit up. “YAAAAYYYYYY!!!” He screamed. “Oh my god! Yay! Iori! IORI! Yay!” He jumed up and down a few times. “This is the best day ever! I get donuts _AND_ Iori’s love!” He cheered. “Oh yeah! Donuts!” He recalled, bending over to pick up the donut box. “Come on, boyfriend! We better get back home now. Let’s go! Let’s go!” He began dragging Iori by the hand.

“Nanase-san!” Iori stumbled after his partner. He couldn’t believe what had just happened. Yet he didn’t regret a single thing. Riku was the most important person to him in the whole world. And by being his boyfriend, he vowed right then and there to protect him forever. The cherry blossoms fluttered in the wind, dancing around them as they made their way out of the park. Iori couldn’t take his eyes off Riku as the gorgeous petals swarmed around him. Though his stomach suddenly began twisting in knots. Something about that pink color made him uneasy. But he didn’t bother analyzing what it could be. Instead, he held Riku’s hand the whole way home. Nothing had ever felt so right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! This story quickly got more popular than I thought it would! :D  
> YAY IORIKU IS DATING NOW!!! Buutttttt there's gonna be drama soon owo  
> Next chapter is gonna be fricken awesome and I'm SO excited to write it! Check it out soon!


	4. The party

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I’m bad at conversing under stress. But you’re good at everything, Iori! Please…go talk to him.”

“CONGRATULATIONS RE:VALE!” The Idolish7 boys all cheered in unison.

Momo’s face instantly lit up the moment he opened the front door. “KYAAA! Minna-san! Thank you!!!” He jumped up and down with joy.

Yuki smiled, behind his partner. “Thanks everyone. Please come in.” He opened the door wider, inviting their friends inside.

It was Saturday night and Yuki and Momo decided to throw a party to celebrate the release of their new album. They were so proud and excited to share their joy with their friends. Thus, they invited both Trigger and Idolish7 over to celebrate. Trigger was already there. And once Idolish7 arrived, the party could finally start.

Trigger was standing by the snack table. The three looked up when they saw the others enter the area. Iori froze when he saw Tenn. Trigger’s center was dressed so adorably, in the rosiest shades of pink, matching his gorgeous eyes. He looked so perfect sitting there- just like a doll. Iori shifted uncomfortably. He had been nervous to attend the party and have to face Tenn again. He avoided eye contact and looked down at the floor. However, suddenly:

“TENN-NII!” A voice erupted from behind Iori. It was so startling, Iori physically jumped with fright.

“N-Nanase-san!?”

“Tenn-nii!” Riku cheered, hastily shoving his way past everyone to reach his beloved twin. He dove onto Tenn and hugged him in a tight embrace, arms looped around his neck. “Hi Tenn-nii! How are you? I like your shoes! Are you enjoying the party? You smell like strawberry bubblegum!”

“Nanase Riku.” Tenn was hardly phased by Riku pouncing on him. He had his usual dull, unamused look on his face and didn’t show any attempt to hug his brother back. “I know we are in private with people who know our secret. But it would be good if we stayed in the habit of referring to each other as Nanase-san and Kujou-san,” He stated, formally. “The last thing we need is to make a habit of familiarity, and slip up names in front of fans someday. Remember. The world doesn’t know we are twins.”

“Do you use strawberry shampoo? I used like a fruity-smelling conditioner once but it made me really hungry so I had to stop,” Riku continued to ramble nonsense.

“Nanase-san...” Iori watched as the twins indulged each other. He hadn’t seen them together in a while. When he looked at them together like that, his heart raced. Both of them were so adorable. And he had two secrets- one with each of them. But one of those secrets was atrocious and he hated to think of it. “Kujou-san…”

Tenn pushed Riku away gently and smiled up at Iori when he saw him. “Good evening, Iori Izumi. You’re looking quite charming tonight,” He smirked. He loved teasing Iori and pushing him to the edge. “That expression on your face is quite remarkable. My, my…what’s the word?” He tapped a finger on his chin, pondering. “Cute?”

Iori bit his lip. He couldn’t stand being called that, and his heart began to melt. Yet he vowed to never let Tenn get to him again. Iori was dating Riku now and couldn’t be happier. He wished to erase all memories of Tenn from his mind. “Nanase-san may refer to you as he wishes tonight. There’s no one here but Idolish7, Trigger, and Re:vale. Allow him to call you brother just for the night.”

Riku’s eyes sparkled as his boyfriend stood up for him. “Iori…” He whispered. “IORI!” He suddenly lunged toward the younger male and grabbed his arm. He hugged Iori’s arm to his chest affectionately, snuggling him without a care in the world. “You’re the best Iori!” He smiled. Since they started dating, Riku had a habit of clinging to Iori. Even more than usual. Yet Iori didn’t mind. He thought it was cute.

Tenn’s expression turned sour when he saw Riku cling to Iori. Yet he didn’t make a big deal out of it. In his mind, he had a special relationship with Iori that was irreplaceable. Little did he knew Iori was now dating his brother. He merely smirked. “Well then. Refer to me as you wish tonight,” He permitted. Yet his eyes had been on Iori when he said it. He grinned up at him with those condescending eyes, as if sending Iori a telepathic message only he could understand. And Iori received the message well. “Refer to me anyway your heart desires. I’m all yours.” Tenn sharply turned on his heels and marched off.

Riku’s eyes widened, as he thought he brother had spoken to him. And it made his face light up. “Ah! Thank you, Tenn-nii! I love you!” He called. He watched as Tenn walked off to the others and waved. “Tenn-nii is so cool~” He cooed in amazement. “Isn’t he amazing, Iori!?”

Iori swallowed nervously. He felt sick to his stomach. Keeping that dreadful secret from Riku would be the hardest thing he would ever have to do. But it had to be done. Iori would rather die than tell the love of his life that he slept with his brother. It sounded like a dramatic soap opera. And Iori began to get a headache from the thought of it. “Kujou-san is…n-not as amazing as you…” He said, too softly for Riku to hear. Yet for some reason, there was hesitation in his tone. As if he wasn’t sure of the statement he was making.

The party continued smoothly for the rest of the evening. They boys all talked and laughed together. And they even cut into the cake Mitsuki had baked for Momo and Yuki. It was a delicious chocolate cake with magenta and green icing. Everyone loved it. Iori kept his distance from Tenn for the remainder of the night. He didn’t dare look at him, and tried his best to keep his eyes on Riku instead. Later, everyone gathered in the main room and Momo suggested they sing karaoke. Yuki thought it was a dumb idea, stating that they were idols and they already sung every day. But he could never discourage Momo, and he agreed to the idea. Soon, everyone was in the main room together. Watching Mezzo attempt to sing a Re:vale song.

 “Um!… Es! Per! An! Za!” Sogo tried to keep up with the fast paced Re:vale song. He clenched the microphone in his hand and did his best to sing Momo’s part. “Tamaki-kun, please keep up!”

Tamaki had taken a break to shove some cake in his mouth. “Uhh yeah esperaghjlknedza!” He chomped loudly into his microphone.

Everyone was sitting on couches and chairs watching Mezzo perform. Riku laughed and clapped along happily to the beat of the music. Iori looked at him. And then glanced away. “Iori? Are you ok?” Riku asked, noticing his boyfriend’s strange behavior.

“Uwah!” Iori gasped. “I-I’m fine. Please pay no attention to me…”

Riku shrugged it off. Eventually, Mezzo’s shitty duet ended (thank god) and the two went to take their seats. Once the spotlight was available, Riku jumped up. “Attention, everyone!” He declared. Everyone looked at him.

“What is it, Riku?” Mitsuki asked. “Do you wanna sing karaoke next? I’ll sing with you! Maybe we can do a Mezzo song!” He giggled.

Riku calmly walked over to the microphone Sogo had used and picked it up. “No. Actually, I have an announcement to make. If that’s ok,” He smiled. “This may be sudden, and out of nowhere… But I trust everyone here with all my heart. And I know you’ll keep this secret.”

“Secret?” Yamato perked up. “I’m interested! What’s the secret?”

Riku giggled. For a moment, he blushed, holding the microphone to his heart. Then he lifted it back to his lips. “It’s about me and Iori.”

Iori’s eyes went wide. He couldn’t believe what Riku was doing. “N-Nanase-san, don’t!” He quickly jumped up from his seat. “We never agreed on telling any…S-stop! Just stop, please. You don’t have to do this,” He begged, heart pounding in his chest.

“Aww, let him say it, Iori-kun! I’m super curious now!” Ryu smiled. “Come on, Riku, tell us!”

Iori swallowed nervously. “Please…d-don’t…” He sobbed. Although Idolish7, Trigger, and Re:vale may all be competitor idol groups, they did have a firm alliance of trust between them. Secrets were exchanged between the three groups that the media could never find out about. For example, the fact that Riku and Tenn were twins. Or about Chiba Shizuo being Yamato’s father. Or about Re:vale literally actually being a couple when the fans all thought it was just an act. It’s not a fucking act. It’s literal actual love. Literal actual.  

Iori didn’t mind his friends knowing the truth, but he didn’t want Tenn Kujou to have any knowledge of him dating Riku. He wished he could run up to his boyfriend and stop him. But he was too weak. Too afraid. And too embarrassed. “Nanase-san…”

“For the past few months, something had been bothering me. Yesterday I realized that thing was Iori,” Riku began. He chuckled. “But it wasn’t that I felt anger toward Iori. For the first time, I realized I felt something different. An emotion I held for Iori I didn’t feel for anyone else…” He drifted off. For Iori, it only made it worse that Riku used a microphone to proclaim it all. Iori covered his ears and shivered as his boyfriend continued. “Iori and I spent a lot of time together yesterday. And we talked about a lot of things. We talked about donuts, and what it means to be an idol, and why the sun and the moon are the cutest couple ever!” He bubbled, making absolutely no sense. “I confessed first. It took a lot of courage. But now I’m the happiest boy in the world,” He smiled at his lover. Then he took a deep breath before making the declaration of his life. “Iori and I are dating!” He proclaimed. “We’re a couple now! I’m his boyfriend and he’s mine! Ta-dah!”

Everyone gasped, instantly coming to life.

“UWAAAAAHH! ARE YOU SERIOUS!? IORI! RIKU! IORI! CONGRATULATIONS!” Mitsuki squealed.

“Ah! I’m so happy for you two!” Sogo exclaimed. “You’re a wonderful couple!”

“Iorin’s gay?” Tamaki looked around cluelessly.

“KYAAAAAAA! I always shipped Iori and Riku! You two are totally adorable together!” Momo bounced with enthusiasm. “Isn’t Ioriku such a great ship, Yuki!?”

Yuki couldn’t help but smile. “I knew you two would end up dating eventually.”

Tears of joy weld up in Riku’s eyes. He looked around at his friends, basking in the love and support. “Th-thank you! Thank you all so much!” He dried his tears on his sleeve. He sniffled. “This goes without saying, but please keep this a secret between us twelve.”

“Of course!” Ryu nodded. “Don’t even worry! We’d never expose such an adorable couple!”

“OH! Iori wa GAY des ka?” Nagi titled his head.

“Iori is so gay,” Yamato wasn’t surprised at all.

Gaku chuckled. “I’m happy for you guys,” He grinned, supportively. Then he noticed there was one person in the room who hadn’t said a word. “Oi. Tenn. Say something,” He nudged the boy next to him. “Aren’t you happy for your brother?”

Everyone’s attention fell on Tenn. Iori hesitantly looked over at him, heart flying out of his chest. He was terrified for how Tenn would react. Perhaps he would get so angry and reveal what had happened between him and Iori. Terrified, Iori clenched his hands into fists and prayed for mercy.

Tenn slowly looked up. “This is… atrocious,” He suddenly stated. He quickly rose from his seat, sending a glare in Riku’s direction. He stared him down for a few good seconds, striking fear into his soul like a predator about to pounce on his prey. “How dare you steal him from me…” He growled, looking back down. He briefly glanced at Iori. Then, he swiftly turned on his heels and exited the room.

 _SLAM!_ He shut the door behind with such force, it shook the entire house. The room fell silent. No one knew what to say, as they were all shocked by Tenn’s reaction. There was silence for a long time. Then, suddenly, Riku sunk to his knees.

“Tenn-nii…” He whispered. He dropped the microphone, causing it to screech for a moment.

Sogo ran to Riku and kneeled down next to him. “H-hey! It’s ok. I’m sure your brother is just shocked,” He patted Riku on the back. “I’m sure any older brother would be shocked the day he found who his little brother was dating.”

“I’m shocked too…” Mitsuki spoke up. “But not enough to cause a scene like that… Tenn looked like he was furious,” He recalled. “He looked horribly furious…”

Riku dried his tears before rising to his feet. “This is my fault. I should have told Tenn-nii first, before anyone else,” He stated.

Iori had been shaking. Yet he quickly snapped back to reality. “N-no! That would have been worse!” He yelped. Everyone looked at him. And he trembled with anxiety. “K…Kujou-san is just in shock of the big news. It’s alright, Nanase-san. Give him time to cool off…” Only he knew the truth. Tenn wasn’t talking to him when he said those menacing words. He was talking to Riku. Tenn was furious his brother had _stolen Iori from him_. But Iori didn’t belong to Tenn in the first place. Everything was his fault. He had never felt so much pressure in his life. He put a hand on his forehead, trying to process everything.

“Whoa, are you ok, Ichi?” Yamato asked. “You look pale. Do you need a drink? Or to sit down?”

Iori’s breathing became harder and more erratic. He tried to walk forwards but tripped slightly, stumbling on his own feet. “I’m f-fine!” He lied, nervously. “More importantly. Nanase-san, are you ok?”

Riku nodded shyly. “I’m ok. I’m just sad when Tenn-nii is sad,” He answered. Then he suddenly grabbed Iori’s hands in his. “Iori! You have to go talk to him!” He begged. He looked deeply into his lover’s eyes, pleading with him. “Please! I’m bad at conversing under stress. But you’re good at everything, Iori! Please…go talk to him.”

Iori’s eyes widened in horror. “NO!” He yanked away from Riku violently. “I-I refuse! I’m not going anywhere near Kujou-san! I want nothing to do with…!” He looked around and saw everyone staring at him again. He growled. “Nanase-san. You’re the one that’s better at cheering people up. You’re the passionate one. The right brain. Remember? Remember!?”

Riku sniffled. Normally, he could easily bounce back from anyone’s negativity. But when his twin brother disapproved of something he did, it felt like his whole world had stopped turning. He put his hands on Iori’s shoulders and gripped him tightly. “Iori. I’m begging you,” He said with seriousness in his tone. “Just talk to him. Tell him you’re a good guy and you’re the perfect person for me,” He blinked his gorgeous ruby eyes. “Please.”

Iori couldn’t say no to that face. He gently removed Riku’s palms from his shoulders before nodding. “Albright. Alright. I’ll speak with him. For you,” He decided. He turned and walked in the direction Tenn had gone. For some reason, it felt like that day all over again. That cursed day that started everything. Iori had chased after Tenn to talk to him about Riku. And that was when Tenn stole that first kiss from him. Now, Iori was hunting Tenn down yet again to discuss Riku. But this time, he vowed nothing would get out of his control. He looked over his shoulder briefly, seeing everyone huddled around Riku and comforting him. He sighed. “For Nanase-san…” Then, he exited the room, and walked down the hallway in search of the boy he had avoided for so long.

_** ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ** _

“Kujou-san?” Iori asked, gently knocking on the door. He noticed it wasn’t locked, so he began to turn the door knob. “Please excuse me,” He entered the room shyly. He looked inside and saw Tenn standing by the window. “Kujou-san…”

Tenn was holding the curtain open, looking outside at the night sky. When he heard Iori enter the room, he quickly whirled around to look at him. Iori gasped instantly. Tenn had spun so perfectly, like a princess. His expression was priceless- sparkling eyes astounded by Iori’s sudden presence. He stared at Iori for a moment, as if truly shocked to have been followed into the room. Then, he suddenly folded his arms over his chest. “Took you long enough to chase after me,” He growled.

Iori sighed. Being alone with Tenn was the last thing he wanted. Yet he needed to talk to him. For Riku. It was for Riku. And he would do anything for Riku. “Kujou-san stop this irresponsible act this instant. Nanase-san is worried for you. Come along, we need to go back to the others,” He gestured toward the door.

Tenn frowned. “I’m not going back in there.” He suddenly approached Iori. He walked right up to him, fearlessly. With each step he took, Iori felt his heat leaping out of his chest. His nerves kept building and building until Tenn was eventually right in front of him. He looked up at Iori with a gleam in his eyes. “Not when I’ve finally got my little Iori all to myself.”

Iori quickly jumped backwards. “Stay back! And I’m not yours!” He snapped. “Kujou-san… There’s nothing between us. It was all an accident, and you know it,” He clarified. “Whatever happened that night… it wasn’t me. That’s not who I am. I didn’t mean for everything to accelerate as it did and I’d prefer to live as though it never happened.”

Iori had expected Tenn to react with fury. But instead, the smug boy merely grinned. “Oh? Is that so?” He asked. “I don’t believe you, darling. You should have seen yourself that night, haha!” He boasted. “So breathtakingly gorgeous as you pinned me to the bed. Sweating and growling as you fucked me senseless. Releasing the cutest little moans…” He sighed, beginning to circle around Iori like a vulture. “You’ve never made those lewd expressions for anyone. I was your first kiss, after all. And your first sex partner. You cannot erase that night from your memories, sweet Iori. No one forgets their first time.” He suddenly grabbed Iori’s shoulders from behind. He began gently massaging his shoulders, rubbing him with his angelic hands. “Right?”

“K-! Kuj…ou-san…!” Iori hardly squeaked out the words as he felt Tenn rub his shoulders. He couldn’t deny it felt good. Damn, even the simplest touches from Tenn felt so heavenly. He bit his lip to suppress a moan and rolled his neck forwards, hanging his head down in submission.

“Hm. Good boy,” Tenn chuckled. He began kissing the back of Iori’s neck, sucking on his soft skin. “You’ll always be loyal to me, Iori Izumi. I bet even now, as you date my brother, you can’t help but think about me when you look at him.” He suddenly leaned over Iori’s shoulder and whispered in his ear. “Am I right?”

Iori shuddered. He couldn’t handle Tenn’s mind games. But the worst part was that every word out of his sinful mouth was the truth. Iori hadn’t stopped thinking about their night together since it happened, and sometimes when he looked at Riku, he couldn’t unsee Tenn. Distressed, Iori covered his face with his hands. “Please get off of me, Kujou-san,” He begged, nearly sobbing. Iori wasn’t a violent person and was more likely to cry when distraught, rather than start a physical fight. He kept his hands over his face for safety, not wanting to make an embarrassing face. “Please don’t touch me.”

Tenn frowned when he saw Iori’s reaction. He loved watching Iori’s expressions crumble and submit to him. When Iori covered his face, he decided there was no point. “So disobedient,” He sighed, pulling away from him. He suddenly walked over to the bed and plopped down on it. He hung his legs off the side, crossing them as if he were a girl. “If you don’t want to talk about you and I, then let’s talk about you and Riku,” He suggested. “Tell me. How did you and him wind up together? And why?” He suddenly inquired. Somehow, he sounded less furious. And more...curious. 

Iori’s ears twitched when he heard his boyfriend's name. He uncovered his face and turned to see Tenn sitting on the bed. “There is nothing to talk about. My relationship with Nanase-san is none of your business.”

Tenn pouted. “That’s where you’re wrong,” He growled. “Riku is still my brother. Has it ever occurred to you that you need my blessing to be with him?” He pondered. “Hmmmmm. I don't think I'll give it to you. You and Riku would be a bad couple.”

Iori turned red, with anger and mortification. “H-how dare you! We don’t even need your bless-…” He suddenly trailed off. “Wh-what did you say? You think we’d make….a bad couple?” He suddenly felt fear grip his heart.

Tenn saw the despair wash over Iori’s expression. And it made him smile. Seeing that he finally had the upper hand on Iori’s emotions, he continued his little game. “Yes. You’re no good for Riku. Always pushing him to sing and work so hard. You’re the one who promised to make him into a super star, correct?” He titled his head. “That’s appalling. You know Riku has a weak body. It’s all your fault his illness has gotten worse this past year. It’s due to stress and overworking,” He explained. “A good partner for him wouldn’t force him to sing like that. A good partner would put Riku’s health above his own selfish desires…a selfish desire to hear his _precious little voice…”_

Iori’s eyes widened in horror. For the first time, he began to believe Tenn. His mind started getting twisted, and he began to believe that he had been pushing Riku too hard. Perhaps it was Iori’s fault Riku’s illness had worsened. Perhaps Iori didn’t take good care of Riku, like he thought. Perhaps he was just using him. For his voice. Iori looked so shaken at the suddenly realization, like his world was crumbling around him. “Y-you’re right…I’m the one who’s hurting him…” He realized. "Oh god... Nanase-san is suffering because of me..."

Tenn patted the spot next to him on the bed. “You look like you’re about to faint, Iori. Come sit,” He ordered.

Iori obeyed and mindlessly approached the bed. He sat down, almost in a trance. His eyes stared forwards, blankly. He looked hypnotized. "N-Nanase-san...Kujou-san..."

“Aww. Having trouble analyzing everything?” Tenn chuckled in amusement. “Don’t worry, Mister Perfection Gimmick. Just accept that you’re no good for Riku. And neither is Idolish7…” Tenn suddenly stood up from the bed. He got right in front of Iori and crawled onto him. Soon, Iori was sitting on the edge of the bed with Tenn on his lap. Tenn chuckled and put his arms around Iori’s neck. And his legs around Iori’s waist. It was such a sensual position. And Tenn didn’t hesitate to take advantage of it. “Tell me, darling…” He leaned into Iori’s ear. “What do you like about Riku?” He whispered.

Iori swallowed. He hardly paid mind to the fact Tenn was hooked around him like an exotic dancer. And instead, he kept thinking of Riku. “Nanase-san…is…” He began. “Beautiful. Everything about him is…s-so beautiful. His positive attitude. His cheerful smiles. It’s so…c-“ He choked on that cursed word. “C...Cu…”

“Cute?” Tenn whispered in Iori’s ear. He grinned, loving Iori’s embarassment. “But I’m cute too…” He batted his eyelashes seductively. “Aren’t I?” He began tracing his fingers on Iori’s chest. He drew little circles with his index finger, sending chills of pleasure down Iori’s spine.

“Ah…!” Iori gasped, covering his mouth. “Yes… you’re…” He swallowed. “Very cute.” Iori didn’t even see Tenn react. Without warning, Tenn yanked Iori’s hand away from his mouth. And quickly plunged his lips into his. He kissed him deeply, holding Iori’s face in his delicate palms. He had him trapped. Completely imprisoned. Iori was entranced within the delicious lip lock, and hardly remembered to breathe.

Tenn slithered his tongue into Iori’s mouth and pressed their bodies closer together. He moaned softly, just the gentle way Iori liked it. He knew his moans turned Iori on. And he used that against him. “Mhnm~ You’re so good, Iori~” He groaned in that lusciously tempting voice of his. “I need you. And you need me.” He broke the kiss and reached for his shirt. In one swift movement, he removed his shirt and tossed it aside. Now shirtless, he continued to sit on Iori’s lap.

Iori watched Tenn’s every move. Tenn was so provocative, even just in the way he moved. Iori found himself staring at Tenn’s bare skin. It took a moment for him to finally snap out of his trance, and react to the situation. “Stop it!” He suddenly gasped. “I can’t! I won’t! I won’t do this anymore!” He shrieked, desperately trying to find a way out. “I’m with Nanase-san now! The past is the past! I refuse to be intimate with you again in the present! I won’t cheat on him! I…I-!” He shouted. “I won’t ruin our future!”

Tenn merely clicked his tongue in disappointment. “Tsk tsk. There is no future,” He explained. “You said it yourself. You’ve hurt Riku by overworking him. Has it ever occurred to you that he doesn’t want to be your little super star? His body will give out before he achieves that, and when that day comes…. _I’ll seriously kill you, Iori Izumi_ ,” He suddenly sounded protective of Riku. “I’ve been saying since day one- Riku is not meant to be an idol. It’s for his own good! His health!” He roared. “If you want him to be better off… You’ll leave him.”

Somehow, it didn’t sound like Tenn was trying to steal Iori from Riku. Somehow, it sounded like Tenn was truly concerned for his brother and was trying to ensure his safety. Iori began to question Tenn’s true motives entirely. Was he really trying to protect Riku? Was he truly in love with Iori? Or... did he have a different motive entirely?

“But I…” Iori shuddered. "I want him to be happy..." He said softly.

At the sweet sound of Iori’s gentle voice, Tenn merely smiled. “He will be happy. Once you set him free,” He pet Iori’s hair gently, ruffling around his raven locks. “God. I love when you make that face, Iori. Such gorgeous silver eyes locked onto me for dear life. You adore me. You're infatuated with me... You're addicted to me.” He suddenly licked his fingers. He trailed his fingers down his bare chest, touching himself in the most seductive, mind controlling way. “Come on, Iori,” He offered. “Touch me. I know you want to.”

Confusion clouded Iori’s view. His perception had been twisted and manipulated by Tenn so much, he hardly knew how to react in the slightest. He never wanted to hurt anyone. Yet in that moment, his own desires had been building up. Desires he never knew he had. Desires only Tenn could bring out of him. He slowly lifted his hands. They were shaking. As if hesitating. His hands could choose any path they wanted: They could push Tenn away, or they could pull him in. Iori didn’t think twice about it. He quickly cupped his palms over Tenn’s chest, giving him the pleasure he wanted so desperately. The instant he groped him, his hands stopped shaking. Like his cravings had been satisfied.

Tenn hissed in pleasure and bounced on Iori’s lap a little, with excitement. “Good boy…” He sighed. “Mhn…”

Iori began massaging Tenn’s chest, rubbing and pinching his nipples. They were so pink and tiny. He found it fun to run his gentle fingertips over the little nubs. And hearing Tenn’s voice, drenched in pleasure reward him only made it better. He was mesmerized by Tenn's body.

“You like my little titties, Iori~?” Tenn chuckled in amusement.

Iori turned red. “UWAH! SORRY!” He yelled in embarrassment, realizing he had been feeling Tenn up for way too long.

“Haha. You’re cute.”

Iori blushed. He hated being teased. He prepared to grab Tenn and pin him to the bed. But just as he grabbed Tenn's shoulder's, Tenn grabbed his handds. “Wait,” He hushed, speaking in a low whisper. “I’ll ride you.”

Iori blinked. Stunned, he didn’t say a word as Tenn quickly stood up to remove the rest of his clothes. He kicked off his pants and underwear before looking back at Iori. “It would be best if you could sit in that chair,” He gestured to a seat in the corner.

Iori nodded sheepishly and went to sit in the chair. His body was moving on his own at this point. He couldn’t control a muscle. “Y…You’re so beautiful, Kujou-san…” He admired the other male. "So beautiful..."

Tenn placed his clothes aside and then smirked at Iori. “I know.” He scurried to the other male and sat on his lap, straddling his legs over Iori. Then he began fiddling with Iori’s pants. Eventually, he pulled out Iori's cock. And held it in his hand. “My my. Looks like I already succeeded in turning you on. Some little boy is aroused~” He chuckled. He gave Iori a few pumps with his hand, making his cock throb and drip precum at the tip.

“Ahh!” Iori yelped. Hearing Tenn’s dirty words and feeling his forbidden touches was too much! Iori groaned, arching his back slightly. “You’re hands are so good…” He said, without thinking. He couldn’t help it. Everything Tenn did was amazing. It set Iori’s body on fire. His cock twitched with desire and he felt so humiliated. “S-stop staring at it please…”

“How the hell am I supposed to have sex with you if I can’t see your dick, idiot?” Tenn snapped. He had a tiny bottle of lube in his hand he had retrived from his pocket. Without warning, he began applying the liquid to Iori's cock, nice and slow.  “Hush now, darling. I’ll do all the work this time. You can just sit back, relax, and enjoy the show,” He said, simply. “Keep your silver eyes on me. And don’t ever look away…” His little hand coated Iori's dick in the exciting sensation of lubrication. “Tonight, I am your heavenly visitor. And I’ll make you experience a pleasure unlike any other.”

Iori shuddered as Tenn spoke. "Y-you brought that b-bottle...! B-because...! Kujou-san! You knew this would hap-! UWAH!" Iori was so startled. Without warning, Tenn suddenly pressed his hole onto Iori. And sat down right on his cock, connecting them. 

 

“AaAAH! Iori, so big…” Tenn sighed, shivering as Iori’s length penetrated him. He started making that gorgeously lewd expression again- that one Iori couldn’t resist. It was so erotic. So gorgeous. It stirred up those urges in Iori again he couldn’t control. _He lost all control._  Then, without hesitation, Iori grabbed Tenn’s waist and pushed him down further onto his cock, ready to wreck him. “H-HYAA!” Tenn gasped, horrible startled by Iori's sudden move. Soon, Iori was buried so deep inside him, all the way to the hilt. Tenn growled, trying to handle it all. Yet he always remained calm in that arrogant way of his. “Keep your hands on my waist…” He ordered. Then, he didn’t hesitate to start moving. He bounced on Iori’s cock, moving up and down at an even pace.

Iori kept his palms on Tenn’s sides, feeling his slim body curve and adjust to please him. It made him feel so dominant. “Kujou-san…Just like that..."

“Mn, fuck yeah…” Tenn sighed. He wrapped his arms around Iori’s neck as he continued to move his hips. Tenn loved that position. He felt like a tiny doll, using his body to please Iori. And he looked like one too. “Ah! Ah! Yes!” He hiccupped with desire, each time Iori slammed into him.

Iori was so weak to Tenn. He was mesmerized, watching the lap dance he was receiving. Tenn looked so gorgeous moving his hips like that. Iori couldn’t help but stare at Tenn’s cock, as it bounced to the rhythm of his movement. Nearly drooling, Iori grabbed Tenn’s dick in his hand and squeezed it.

“Ahh~!” Tenn released the most gorgeous sound Iori had ever heard.

It only encouraged him. Iori stroked Tenn’s cock as Tenn continued to thrust on him. Incredible, scorching waves of pleasure washed over the two. Iori’s calculative mind couldn’t analyze a thing. All that mattered was fucking the shit out of Tenn. Iori clawed at Tenn sides, running his fingers up and down Tenn’s stomach the other male rode him like a good little slut. After a moment, he latched his lips onto Tenn’s left nipple. He closed his eyes and sucked on his chest as Tenn continued his movement. 

“AHN!” Tenn squealed. “Ahh...” He wrapped his arms around Iori's head. He cradled Iori’s head to his chest, making them feel even closer. Iori continued to stimulate Tenn’s chest with his mouth. He moaned softly as Tenn toyed with his hair.

“Kujou-san…”

“Mmm. You really do like my titties, Iori~”

“K-Kujou-san!!”

Tenn chuckled superiorly. Yet his egoistic expression slowly began to change as he felt Iori find his sweet spot. He pouted, unable to handle the pleasure. “M-mn! I…Iori…there!”

“What was that?” Iori growled. "I couldn't hear you."

“Iori~!" Tenn sobbed. "Right there, please! Oh god, so good! I'll do anything!” He gasped. “Please, please, right there~!” He started bouncing faster, desperately trying to feel Iori against his prostate. He huffed for air, hardly able to keep breathing. Although Tenn was so confident when it came to intimacy, Iori could see his ego fade when he became too desperate. Eventually, Tenn’s weak little legs couldn’t do much more. He sobbed, clawing at Iori in desperation as his bouncing slowed down. And he got tired.

“Kujou-san,” Iori growled. He quickly lifted Tenn up and held him in his arms. 

“Ahh! Iori!?” Tenn shouted, astonished by Iori’s strength. He held onto the other male as Iori now stood up, thursting into Tenn himself. “Ohhh yes yes!” Being held up in the air felt so good. The truth was, Iori wasn’t particularly strong. Tenn was just very light. Like a real angel. He felt so submissive with his arms and legs around Iori, as the ravenette pounded into him with ease.

Iori was able to trust into Tenn for a moment before he couldn’t take it any longer. “Not enough…Kujou-san, I want all of you…” He hissed.

“….Nm, Mhh...” Was all Tenn could groan. His mind was too far gone to focus on anything else. In fact, he could hardly form words anymore. His mind turned fuzzy until he was reduced to a moaing mess, completely at Iori’s mercy.

Iori slammed Tenn down on the bed and fucked him like that the rest of the way. It felt so forceful, so greedy, so mindnumblingly good. Tenn stretched out on the bed, spreading his legs further for Iori. Iori hungrily grabbed Tenn’s thighs, gripping them tightly as he began thrusting harder. And harder. Nails digging into Tenn’s beautiful flesh, the smaller male could hardly handle the pleasure any longer.

“Fuck me, Iori~… I-I’m cumming, gonna cum!”

Iori breathed heavily, slamming into Tenn. “L-let me see…” He whispered, panting for air. “Let me see your face when you cum for me. Kujou-san,” Iori titled Tenn’s chin up. “Let me see the gorgeous way you cum for me…”

“Aaaa, IORI!” Tenn yelled. He shivered violently as the itense orgasm ripped through his body. His limbs went into a minor spasm as he came, spraying white all over his tummy. Clenching the bedsheets above his head, he gasped for oxygen, sobbing Iori’s name over and over as he rode out the magificent height.

Seeing Tenn cum all over himself was enough to excite Iori to his edge. After another moment of thrusting, Iori whimpered. He pushed himself deep inside of the other male and came in his hole. Hot, burning liquid filled Tenn’s insides, making him go wild with pleasure all over again. “Ahh, Kujou-san!”

“S-so full…!” Tenn yelped. He finaly came down from his height and looked up at Iori, panting like puppy. “So hot…”

Iori wipped his brow of sweat before pulling out of Tenn. As he did so, Tenn sobbed Iori’s name again. God how Iori loved the way that sounded. He inhaled and exhaled deeply, trying to catch his breath from the heated moment.

Tenn did too. And after he caught his breath, he sat up and kissed Iori on the lips. “I told you, ahn…you couldn’t resist me. Ahh, hah, ah…” He panted lewdly.

For the longest time, Iori didn’t say a word. He just let Tenn hug him, without reacting at all. He stared at the wall, over Tenn’s shoulder. No matter how hard he tried, his brain couldn’t produce a single sentence. Iori was smart. He was brilliant. People called him perfect. Yet in that moment, he felt like the stupidest person alive. “I…I-I…” He was at a loss for words. "I just cheated on N-"

“Shh,” Tenn hushed, in Iori’s ear. “I got what I wanted. And you did too. Let’s go back to the party now.” He moved off of Iori and grabbed his clothes. He began getting dressed again, like nothing had ever happened. “Well? Aren’t you coming? I’m sure Riku is missing you by now.”

Iori sat on the edge of the bed, holding his forehead as he breathed heavily. “Kujou-san… We did it again,” He whispered. “What have we done…!?” He sounded so regretful and depressed.

Once he was fully dressed himself, Tenn rolled his eyes. “Don’t give me that look. It’s not like you cheated on Riku. You were _mine_ first.” He quickly kneeled down in front of Iori. He fixed Iori’s pants for him and zipped them back up. “I want you away from my brother. If you don't break up with him, he'll only suffer more. Especially now, since you fucked his twin just a few doors down from him~”

“Uwah!" Iori quickly jumped up. "Is that what this is about!? You're trying to break us up because you're scared Idolish7 is no good for him!? Kujou-san, I swear Nanase-san is fully capable of being our cent-!"

“Shut up. My motivations are none of your buisness. Maybe I have many," Tenn growled. "I'm the one protecting Riku. Not you. You've done nothing but hurt him... So I order your break up with him. You'll obey me, Iori. I know you will. _You always will~"_ He grinned. Then he headed for the door and opened it, gesturing for Iori to follow him back to the others. “Come along now. I hate to keep my fans waiting,” He smirked.

Head down, Iori realized he was trapped. He weakly rose to his feet and followed after Tenn. If he didn't want to hurt Riku, he would have to break up with him. It was the only way. 

"Tenn-nii! Iori!" Riku quickly ran up to them. "Tenn-nii... I'M SO SORRY!" He burst out, bowing his head repeatedly. "I should have told you I was dating Iori! I didn't mean to startle you with the sudden announcment! I'm sorry! I'm sorry I'm-!"

"There's no need to apoligize, Riku," Tenn waved his hand dismissively. "Iori Izumi and I talked everything out in the other room. Iori is a good boy. I told him how to make you happy."

Riku's expression brightened. "R-really!?" He cheered, thrilled thinking Iori had convinced Tenn they were a perfect couple. "Yay! I'm so happy!" He threw himself onto Iori and hugged him tightly. His body felt just like Tenn's. "Iori is a good boy! I just know he'll do what you asked!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please feel free to leave comments because i love reading them and it motivates me to update faster! Lol XD


	5. Phone sex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I really don't know what else to call this chapter ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “Ahh. My tiny, soft hand is hardly enough to satisfy my hungry body. I can only be satisfied by one person. You.”

“Uwah! Look, Iori! It’s raining!” Riku cheered, looking out the window at the water falling from the sky. “Just like the day we became a couple!”

It was a rainy, gloomy day. Tamaki and Sogo had left to work on some mezzo stuff. And Mitsuki, Nagi, and Yamato all accompanied Tsumugi to help choose the venue for Idolish7’s next live. That left Iori and Riku alone at the dorm. Wanting to spend time together, Riku invited Iori into his room to have a movie night together. Currently, Iori was sitting on the floor with a cup of tea in his hands. He took another sip before responding to Riku’s comment.

“Nanase-san. Please close the curtain. You’re allowing the flashes of lightning into the room and it’s quite blinding,” He scolded.

Riku pouted. “Boo! Iori~! You’re supposed to say- ‘how astoundingly beautiful, Nanase-san. My heart is racing, Nanase-san,’” He deepened his voice and spoke in a faster, smoother tone to imitate Iori. “’Kawaii hito da na.’”

Iori turned red. “P-please just close the curtain already!”

Giggling, Riku obeyed and closed the curtain. Then he jumped off his bed and onto the yellow beanbag chair in his room. “Come sit here with me, Iori!” He begged.

Sighing, Iori complied and rose to sit on the beanbag chair with his boyfriend. “You’re as hyper as ever, I see,” He muttered. “And isn’t a seat like this too childish? Why can’t we sit in normal seats like-“

“Iori~! Shhhh! The movie is starting!” Riku shoved his hand over Iori’s face. He quickly turned up the volume to his TV, eager to watch the film with his significant other.

“MPH!” Iori choked down his words when Riku silenced him. He shoved Riku’s hand away, freeing himself. “Nanase-san-!”

“Ooh! I should turn off the light so we can see better,” Riku realized. He stood up quickly and scurried over to the light switch. After flipping it, he dove back onto the beanbag chair with Iori. “That’s better~” He snuggled closely with his boyfriend. The beanbag was so soft and plush. It made the two boys feel very close to one another, sharing each other’s warmths. And the sudden absence of light somehow mad it romantic. Iori’s heart skipped a beat.

The movie began and all eyes were glued to the screen. It was some stupid romantic comedy Riku had been excited to see. Iori thought the plot sounded ridiculous. Yet he would do anything to spend some time alone with his boyfriend. After a few minutes into the film, Iori realized how close Riku was to him. The beanbag chair made it impossible not feel intimate. Iori glanced down and saw Riku’s hand. It was so small and dainty compared to his. Iori briefly glanced at his own hand. It was clearly larger than Riku’s. Iori felt embarrassment wash over him. Exhaling, he slowly reached out and placed his hand on Riku’s. He grabbed Riku’s hand and held it gently. Upon contact, his lips curved into a satisfied smile. Riku’s hands were so adorably soft! Iori melted at how lovely it felt. It was the first time he had held hands with anyone.

Riku suddenly looked down. His eyes widened when he saw Iori touching his hand. “UWAH!” He gasped and yanked away in fright.

“Nanase-san!?” Iori yelped, startled by Riku’s sudden outburst. “Are you alright!?”

Riku shivered. “Ahh, sorry, Iori! You just scared me! Haha!” He admitted, laughing nervously.

Iori raised an eyebrow. He recognized that awkward tone in Riku’s voice. It was the fretfulness voice he used when he was uncomfortable. “Scared you?” He inquired. “You’re scared of me?”

Riku gasped and looked at Iori in terror. “Uwaahh, n-no! No no no! Not at all!” He waved his arms around frantically. “I’m not scared of you! L-like that! I mean, at all! You’re Iori! And you’re my boyfriend! And…!” He trailed off. “I’m fine! Let’s keep watching the movie now!” He quickly faced the TV screen again.

Iori watched at Riku. He continued to stare him for a moment, observing him like he was an experimental subject. Riku seemed to be acting strange. Yet Iori shrugged it off and turned his attention back to the movie.

After a moment, there was a sudden sound: _Riiiiing! Riiiiing! Riiiiing!_

“Please excuse me. I apologize,” Iori reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He expected it to be Tsumugi calling him. However, his jaw dropped when he saw the name on the screen. _Kujou Tenn._

“AHH!” Iori screamed, violently throwing his phone across the room. It was so aggressive, the phone hit the wall with a bang before slamming to the floor.

“AHHHHH! Riku screeched, freaked out by Iori’s scream. “Wh-wh-what was that!? Why did you just throw your phone, Iori!?”

Iori’s heart pounded. Tenn was the last person he wanted to think about. About a month had gone by since he had last seen Trigger’s little center. And truth be told, that was enough time for Iori to keep his mind off of him. He had hardly thought about Tenn in weeks, with his full focus on Riku. Yet when he saw that name appear on the screen of his phone, he couldn’t believe it. Reality cut him like a knife. He hadn’t just slept with Riku’s brother. He slept with Riku’s brother _, while he was dating Riku_. Iori had cried a few times because of it. He wasn’t some egoistic playboy. He was Iori Izumi. A stubborn perfectionist most people envied, yet feared. He was Iori Izumi. And he didn’t have the confidence to like himself, yet alone like anyone else romantically.

Yet somehow he had wound up in a mess with two adorable twins. Some people had fantisizes about twins. Wild, dirty fantasizes. Yet Iori felt like it was hell on earth. And he was trapped. Completely imprisoned.

Iori rapidly shook his head. “It’s nothing. Please forget about my phone,” He answered.

Riku was clueless. And innocent. He turned his attention back to the TV. And Iori sighed with relief. Yet he felt a little sick to his stomach. Riku was so god damn cute. Because he was so pure, he trusted Iori with all his heart. Which should be a good thing. But Iori knew it was a bad thing. Because he had used that trust against Riku, and cheated on him. Shaking those horrible memories from his mind, Iori looked back over at his boyfriend and began to observe him. He had a habit of taking note of everything Riku did. No one knew, but he often kept record of it in his journal.

It was sort of creepy. The way he watched Riku, perceiving like some sort of science experiment. His thoughts of Tenn began to drift away as thoughts of Riku filled his mind. After a moment, Iori slowly reached over. And prepared to put his arm around Riku. Yet suddenly:

_Riiiiing! Riiiiing! Riiiiing!_

Iori’s phone went off again. Truly, it wasn’t loud or overly annoying. But to Iori, it was ear piercing agony. A dreadful reminder of his sins.

“URG!” He sobbed, covering his ears in distress.

“Iori?” Riku perked up. “It’s ok if you need to use your phone. I can pause the movie and-“

“NO!” Iori snapped. “I can’t! And I won’t!” He shrieked. “I won’t leave you alone to carry on this futile effort to satisfy my ridiculous desires!” He roared.

Riku blinked, hardly understanding a word Iori said. “So it’s not the pizza place calling telling me I won their free pizza contest?” He asked randomly, totally killing the moment.

Iori sighed, exhausted. “No, Nanase-san. It’s not the pizza place,” He clarified. He didn’t say another word as his attention fell back toward the movie. Riku pouted, sad he hadn’t won the pizza contest. Yet he looked back at the TV as well. And the movie went on. About half an hour passed before it was time for a commercial break. And an ice cream commercial came on.

“Ooh! We should get ice cream together sometime, Iori! That’s something couples do!” Riku bubbled with excitement.

“What exactly is your idea of romance, Nanase-san?”

Riku shrugged. “I dunno. Whatever we want it to be. Iori is my first boyfriend so-“

 ** _“IKOU WAKE ME UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!”_** The TV suddenly screamed. Both boys gasped and looked to see an advertisement for Trigger come on the screen.

Flashy images of the three Yaotome Pro boys appeared. They danced impeccably to their music, moving in such hypnotic and enthralling ways. Their skill was undeniable. They were flawless.

“It’s Tenn-nii!” Riku perked up. He smiled, seeing his twin brother on screen. “Wow. He really moves like an angel. I wish I could be like that…” He drifted off. “Tenn-nii is so perfect. So poised and attractive. Don’t you think he’s amazing, Iori? I’ll never be as good as him…”

Iori swallowed. Hard. Yet before he could part his lips to utter a syllable, his phone suddenly went off again.

_Riiiiing! Riiiiing! Riiiiing!_

But this time, Iori instantly jumped up. Without hesitation, he ran over to his phone and picked it up. “Please excuse me, Nanase-san. I must take this call,” He stated formally. “Don’t bother pausing the movie. This won’t take longer than a single minute…” He growled. With that, he walked out of the room and closed the door.

It had happened so fast. Riku wondered who was calling his boyfriend. It must be important for them to call over and over like that. He also wondered why Iori had suddenly gave in and decided to answer the phone after looking so reluctant to. He often worried for his boyfriend. Because he loved him so much.

“I’ll wait for you, Iori…”

**_ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _ **

Iori locked himself in the bathroom and angrily answered the phone. “Hello!?” He shouted with rage. “Kujou-san. Why are you calling me!?”

Tenn perked up when he heard Iori’s voice. He was alone in his room, sitting on his bed. “Hi Iori!” He cheered. “Aww, I’m so happy you answered. I’ve missed your sweet voice, darling~”

Iori sighed. The truth was, he was no longer scared of Tenn. He saw him as an equal who had made the exact same mistake he had. They were both to blame for the situation they had created. “What do you want, Kujou-san? I’m busy.”

Tenn chuckled. “Busy with what? Math homework?” He teased Iori for being younger than him, and still in high school. “Haven’t you missed me? It’s been over a month since our last rendezvous. Maybe we should meet up soon,” He suggested.

Iori growled. “No,” He hissed. “You speak as though this is a regular thing for us. Are you forgetting? If anyone found out about us, it would be a scandal.”

“Ahaha!” Tenn boasted, adoring every sweet syllable from Iori’s lips. “God I love the way you said that just now. ‘If anyone found out about us.’ Us… _us_ ,” He echoed that short yet delectable word. “Mmn. You make it sound like we’re a couple. An unstoppable couple against the world… keeping our dirty little secret from society…” He drifted off. “Well. I guess that’s pretty accurate, actually.”

Iori turned red. He quickly looked in the bathroom mirror and saw how deeply he was blushing. He was furious Tenn could make him so flustered. Yet he was relieved it was just a phone call, and Tenn couldn’t see his reaction. “Th-that’s not what I meant! There is no us! There never was and there never will be!” He insisted. “I’m with Nanase-san…”

Tenn raised an eyebrow. “Hah~? You haven’t broken up with him yet?” He inquired, voice turning dull. “I told you to stay away from my little brother, Iori Izumi. You’re no good for him. You’ll only poison him and hurt h-“

“Then why are you allowed to be with me!?” Iori suddenly screeched. “If you think I’m such a bad person, and unworthy of Riku, then why are you so attached to me? Why would you allow me to be with you but not Riku?” He demanded. He was truly dying to know. Tenn fell silent. The line was dead quiet for a while, and neither boy spoke. Both were too afraid to think of words to say. Then, Iori spoke up again. He nearly thought Tenn had hung up on him. “K…Kuj--“

“Riku isn’t like me. He’s small and beautiful and delicate! He’s weak and needs protection! I’ve been protecting him my whole life! I never wanted some childish, immature idol wannabes to suck him into their little game! Idolish7 is hurting Riku! Singing at full capacity is hurting Riku!” Tenn suddenly screamed. “Iori Izumi is hurting Riku!”

Iori’s eyes went wide. He slumped against the wall behind him and slowly sunk down in defeat. “I’m hurting Riku…” He whispered. He sat down on the cold bathroom floor with his back to the wall. “I don’t want to hurt him…”

Tenn was almost crying from getting so worked up. He was good at hiding it, but the truth was he loved Riku. And wouldn’t let anyone hurt him. He wanted to pull Riku out of Idolish7 if it was the last thing he could do. “I want my little brother to be safe and I don’t believe he’s safe with you,” He concluded. “Yet on the other hand, I’m the opposite. I’m mature. I’m a professional,” He explained. “I can handle a secret relationship behind the scenes. I can handle the stress of being with you, unlike Riku,” He spat.

Iori swallowed, hard. “S-stress of being with me…?” He whispered. Deep down, part of him knew Tenn was correct. Idolish7 put so much unnecessary stress on Riku. Perhaps Riku would be healthier if he weren’t an idol. “Kujou-san,” He finally spoke up. “Y-you’re… small and beautiful and delicate too…” He suddenly whispered.

It was so gentle, so soft like the most precious little whisper. Tenn nearly missed it. Yet once he heard it, those gorgeous words echoed over and over in his mind. “You…you think I’m beau-!“ He quickly stopped his emotions from getting out of hand. He was Tenn Kujou, after all. Hiding his true feelings was his specialty. He merely responded with his usual answer: “I know.”

Iori sighed. No matter how much he tried to run from Tenn, he couldn’t help but feel such deep emotions for him. Yet he still didn’t know what those emotions were. And each time he spoke to Tenn, it only became more confusing. “Kujou-san, I care about your happiness. I really do. But if we continue to d-“

“Iori. I’m naked,” Tenn suddenly said.

“ASDFGHJKLGHJKJHGFDSLNHFTROKJH!” Iori gagged on his words. He almost dropped his phone, and scrambled to keep it in his hands. “Wh-wh-wh-what did y-you just s-s-s-s-s-s-!”

“Jesus Christ stop stuttering, you idiot,” Tenn rolled his eyes. He finished stripping off his underwear and tossed it aside. He laid on his bed and gazed at the ceiling as he spoke to Iori. “Why don’t you come over to Kujou-san’s house? He’s out of the country right now so we’d have the whole place to ourse-“

“S-stop! Stop please!” Iori begged, like a child. He bit his lip nervously, desperately trying not to wonder if Tenn was really naked. “I can’t. I’m with Nanase-san. We’re on our first date.”

“Hm? You’re really with him right now? Where?”

“At Idolish7’s dorm.”

Tenn burst out laughing. “Haha! You’re having your first date there? What on earth are you doing? Playing scrabble?” He teased. “He isn’t in the same room with you right now, is he?”

Iori felt his face get warmer. “N-no. He’s in his room. I’m…locked in the bathroom,” He admitted. He really didn’t want to admit that. How humiliating.

“HA!” Tenn laughed even louder. He quickly covered his mouth because it was out of character for him to laugh so loudly. “That’s cute. So you ran away from him to speak with me? I’m honored. Imagining you all locked up and terrified in a bathroom, desperately trying to hide your scandalous conversation with the angelic Tenn Kujou… It excites me,” He sighed, dreamily. “I bet you’re sitting on the bathroom floor curled up in a ball. How adorable.”

Iori shivered. Tenn was exactly right! God damn, he was so smart. Iori couldn’t believe Tenn knew him so well. “Sh-shut up! And please do not call me cute!” He begged.

Tenn smirked. He suddenly reached down and touched himself in between his legs. “Mn. You’re so precious when you whine like that. It’s really turning me on…” He groaned. “Hey Iori. Guess what I’m doing right now~”

Iori swallowed nervously. “You’re…t-talking to me on the phone?” He said softly.

Chuckling, Tenn shook his head. “No, innocent boy. I’m touching myself,” He clarified. “Mm. Say something else cute. I love the sound of your voice…”

Iori gasped, not wanting to believe what he was hearing. “N-no! Stop that! Stop that this instant!” He pouted, childishly. “And please reframe from calling me _cute_!” His voice cracked on the last word. “Ah!”

Tenn smiled and began stroking his cock as he laid in bed. “Ahh, I can’t help it. You’re so irresistible,” He praised. “You’ve stayed on the phone this long already. You must adore the sound of my voice as much as I adore yours. Am I right, Iori? Are you addicted to my voice?”

Iori looked down in shame. He hung his head before answering in a low, dissatisfied voice. “I like…N-Nanase-san’s voice…”

Tenn frowned. “We’ll you’re about to like my voice even more,” He hissed. He held the phone with his left hand and started pumping his cock with his right. He stroked his length a few times, giving himself chilling waves of ecstasy. After a moment, he couldn’t hold back an adorable sound of pleasure. “A-ahh…~” He moaned deeply, rich voice drenched in pleasure. “Iori~”

Iori felt his heart freeze in his chest. Tenn’s voice sounded so delicious. Laced with passion. It stirred up strong feeling in Iori’s body. And began conjuring lewd images of Tenn in his mind. He squeezed his eyes shut, not wanting to picture such things. Yet he had already slept with the seductive boy twice. Images from those amazing nights flooded every corner of his mind. The beautiful way Tenn stretched out on the bed. And the needy way he had called Iori’s name. It was so hard not to think about it. And Tenn only made it harder as he continued moaning over the phone.

“Mmn, Iori, you’re so perfect. Everything you do is so perfect…” He sighed, rubbing his thumb over the tip of cock. “Let me hear your voice. Come on. Let me hear it.”

“H-HEAR WHAT!?” Iori shrieked. “I’m not going to fuel whatever you’re doing!”

Tenn ignored Iori’s revolts and decided to kick it up a notch. He began explaining in erotic detail exactly what he was doing. “I’m laying on my bed right now. Spreading my long, slender legs. Batting my butterfly eyelashes like an angel. Wrapping my right hand around my cock…” Tenn painted a mouthwatering picture. “Ahh. My tiny, soft hand is hardly enough to satisfy my hungry body. I can only be satisfied by one person. You,” He grinned. “What would you do to me if you were here, Iori? You can do anything to me.”

Iori couldn’t stop imaging the lewd images Tenn described. It was so stimulating. So tempting. As the calculative person he was, Iori could see everything Tenn described clear as day. His hand was trembling as he held the phone to his ear. “I-I…” He stuttered. He couldn’t control it much longer. His pants stated feeling uncomfortably tight in between his legs. “I would touch you…?” He said, almost as if asking a question.

“Mm? Touch me where?” Tenn pried. He circled his thumb over the head of his dick multiple times, making a chill dash down his spine. “My whole body is yours, Iori. Every inch. My pretty face with my sparkly eyes and soft lips. My cute little nipples begging to be toyed with. My delicate, porcelain skin… All the way down to my hard, throbbing cock. And my tiny little toes that curl when you smear pleasure into my submissive body. It’s all yours, Iori. All yours.”

Iori swallowed again, not understanding why so much saliva was building up in his mouth. “I want… a-all of you…” He said without thinking. “I want…my hands on your waist…s-so badly…!” He cringed at the filthy words exiting his mouth. Iori never thought he would say such perverted things. Iori wasn’t a pervert. But Tenn brought out an obscure, dominant side of him that craved satisfaction. He breathed heavily, knowing that wherever Mitsuki was right now, he would surely be disappointed in his little brother. “I want to grab your waist and pull your slender body toward mine. To press my lips against yours.”

“Mhh, fuck yeah…” Tenn arched his back according to Iori’s desires. “You’re such a good kisser, Iori. I love desperately trying keep up with your lips. Panting, gasping for air between deep, passionate kisses. Heaving my hot, wet tongue into your mouth. Exploring every inch…” He grinned. “Do I taste good, Iori?” He questioned, licking his lips. He made sure to make his sloppy noises audible to the other male.

The dirty talk was turning Iori on like never before. Without thinking, he slowly reached a hand into his pants. Then he uncomfortably rotated his palm in a circle, pressing onto his underwear. “Nh!” He gasped. “You taste so good, Kujou-san. So good. A-addicting,” He rambled, losing his mind. Iori had touched himself before, of course. But never like this. Never when he was this heated and aroused. His shy masturbations were innocent compared to something like this. He continued to apply pressure to the front of his boxers. “L-like sweets. Sugar. Candy…” He continued. “Like bubblegum. Strawberry tarts… Strawberries and cream…K-Kujou-san…~” He sobbed. “I want to run my tongue down your body…!” He sounded like he was going to cry.

“Oh yeah, Iori, just like that…” Tenn groaned erotically. He kept his phone between his shoulder and ear as he began to use both hands to pleasure himself. He continued playing with his cock with his right hand, but began using his left to pinch and twist one of his nipples. “Ahh, god I need you so badly, Iori~ I want to feel your hands rub up and down my thighs…up and down…up and down…~” He groaned, closing his eyes. As he imagined Iori hoovering over him and touching him, the pleasure only got more intense. He whimpered into the phone, craving the gentle feel of Iori’s hands on his thighs. He even fidgeted a little, moving his legs around in a frenzy. “Iori… Take your clothes off.”

“Ahh~” Iori moaned softly. He covered his mouth in shame, horrified to be making such cute noises over the phone. He whimpered slightly before looking down. “Kujou-san… it’s…a-already in my hand,” He admitted. Without even thinking, Iori had pulled his cock out of his pants. He squeezed it in his hand and sighed in arousal. “Kujou-san…~”

“Oh Iori…~” Tenn sobbed. “Stroke it for me. Touch yourself nice and slow while listening to the sound of my voice…” He ordered. “Mnn…”

_“Aaahh Kujou-san…~”_

“Good boy. Good boy, Iori,” Tenn grinned, knowing the younger male was following his commands. “Get your cock nice and hard for me, baby. How does it feel, Iori? You like that. You know you do.”

Iori whimpered, struggling not to burst out screaming Tenn’s name. It was so hard trying to stay quiet while Riku was only just down the hall. His head was spinning and he knew he was doing something horribly wrong. Yet no matter what he did, he couldn’t stop. His hand was moving on its own. “It’s so good! It’s amazing, Kujou-san!” He cried. “I-! I-I’m…!”

“Shhh… Don’t cum yet,” Tenn commanded. He quickly reached over to his bedside table and pulled out a rubber toy from the drawer. He hastily coated the toy in lube, moving as quickly as he could. His body couldn’t wait much longer. “Sweet Iori? Do you know how amazing you are?”

Iori squeezed his eyes shut uncomfortably. He couldn’t believe this was happening. Yet each time he heard Tenn’s voice, his body reacted euphorically. “You are… th-the one who is amazing…” He bit his lip. “Mmn. Kujou-san.”

After preparing the sex toy, Tenn spread his legs and lined it up with his entrance. “No, no. I’m talking about you, Iori,” He corrected. “You have no idea how desirable you are. So handsome. So sexy…” He yelped, beginning to press the toy inside himself. “Such beautiful, heart stopping, silver eyes!”

“Kujou-san…” Iori growled, in a low, husky tone. He huffed in arousal, as he stopped moving his hand for a moment. His tip was dripping precum and he could hardly pause to speak. “You’re an angel. A heavenly angel fallen from heaven. So naughty. Begging to be corrupted with sin…” He hissed. He slowly looked up, finally making a confident expression- smirking with dominance. If only Tenn was there to see it, he would surely climax instantly. “I’ll mess up that innocence of yours.”

Tenn felt his heart throb. His eyes widened and his entire body truly trembled for a moment. He fell under the sweet spell of Iori’s alluring voice. And he had to bite his lip to hold back a moan. “Ha. Not bad…” He smirked. “I’m honored you’re throwing Trigger references into your pick up lines. So sexy…”

Iori sighed. “I learned from the best.”

Tenn pressed the toy further into his hole. He gasped, panting like a dog as the hard object was sucked into him. He called Iori’s name over and over as it went deeper. Iori could tell by the sweet pitch of his voice exactly what he was doing. He knew just how weak Tenn’s powerful voice got when he felt penetration. He knew it well by now.

“IORI!” Tenn suddenly gasped all too loudly. He felt the toy so deep inside and began thrusting it in and out of himself. “I need you so bad! Mess me up, oh please mess me up, Iori!” He moaned, unable to stop his hand.

Iori began jerking off to the heavenly sounds Tenn was making. And he lost himself in the pleasure. “Kujou-san… So good…” He groaned. “Ahh!”

“Yes! Yes! Iori~” Tenn cried, his walls sucking on the toy perfectly. He looked down to see the delicious way the toy slid in and out of him. It felt unbelievable good. But not as good as Iori. Tenn closed his eyes and sobbed, picturing Iori above him. Imagining the perfect boy pinning him to the bed and fucking him senseless was driving him crazy. “Imagine yourself… so deep inside me. I’ll take every inch. Because I’m a good little doll for Iori…”

“Yes, you’re so good. Good boy, Kujou-san…” Iori growled, pumping his cock faster. He couldn’t believe how much Tenn’s voice was turning him on. He felt blinding pleasure rise up in his chest and soon, he couldn’t take it anymore. Imagining Tenn crying and rolling around in bed as he touched himself was such a tantalizing scene. It urged him closer and closer to his climax until he couldn’t take it anymore. “Kujou-san! Kujou-san!” He hiccupped. Tears came to his eyes. Iori definatly had a habit of crying during sex. Even though this wasn’t real sex. He was just so sensitive and passionate. He sobbed, giving himself a last couple of strokes. “So close…!”

“Ah! Ah!” Tenn groaned, jabbing the toy against his prostate roughly. The tiny bundle of nerves inside him couldn’t handle it. He turned to the other side, trashing around in his bed. “Give it to me, please~!” He begged. “Let me cum, Iori!”

“Ahhh, cum for me, Kujou-san,” Iori commanded. “Now!”

 _“HYAAAA!”_ Tenn squealed, instantly hitting his climax the moment Iori ordered him to.

_“KUJOU-SAN!”_

Tenn’s body responded so well. Soon, his stomach was painted white with hot liquid. And his chest rose and fell with every deep breath. After inhaling and exhaling for a moment, Tenn carefully slid the toy out of himself, whimpering at how empty his body felt. “I-Iori,” He shuddered. “I think we just came at the same time…”

Iori panted, looking down at the semen covering his hand. It was so hot and by now, he was drenched in sweat. Yet his left hand continued to hold the phone to his ear. He loosened his tight grip on it though, as he had been squeezing it for dear life. “Ah. Hah. Ahh…Y-yeah. I think we did too…”

Tenn smiled blissfully at the peaceful sounds of Iori’s breathing. It was music to his ears and he gazed at the ceiling as though he had reached nirvana. “That’s amazing. Even when we’re so far apart like this, we’re still so synchronized,” He realized. “My body is trained to obey you. And your mind is wired to comply with my desires,” He whispered. “Iori? …How do you feel?”

Iori hung his head in defeat. He lowered his left hand for a moment, almost as if he were about to hang up. Usually, now would be the moment for him to break down, crying and throwing regretful fit as he thought about Riku. Yet instead, he remained silent. Completely calm. Completely composed.

“I feel…” The ravenette male responded. “Tired.”

Tenn grinned wildly. He laughed at Iori's answer being smirking with success. "You're so cute. So perfect," He emphasized. "You're amazing at everything you do. You can do anything," He said. “Don’t ever forget that. Iori Izumi is perfect. And Tenn Kujou is an angel. I’ll see you soon then, darling.”

Iori nodded. “Goodbye Kujou-san,” He said, as though it had all become routine. And in a way, it had.

“Bye bye.”

_Click._

Once the phone line went dead, Iori tucked his phone back in his pocket. After adjusting his pants, he stood up to wash his hands. It was quiet as he did so. Aside from the gentle noise of running water from the sink. He lathered the soap in his hands and thought about Tenn Kujou. He really as an angel. No doubt about it.

For the longest time, Iori thought of himself as an outcast. He didn’t have any friends at school, aside from Tamaki. And he never fit in with any social groups. He had a habit of coming off as stern, tedious, and all around dreary. Yet people still referred to him as perfect from afar. Perfect grades, perfect looks, perfect attitude. Yet after the mess he had gotten himself into with the twins, he knew he had tarnished the word _perfect_.

As he turned off the water and gazed into his reflection in the mirror, he nearly started crying all over again. "There's no such thing as perfection..."

Iori didn’t hesitate to return to Riku’s room. He walked in, finding everything just as he had left it. Lights off. TV on. And Riku sitting in the beanbag chair with the soft blanket covering him. Yet Iori was shocked when he suddenly realized something. Riku was asleep. He hadn’t even made it half way through the movie without passing out. Iori kneeled next to him and gazed at Riku’s sleeping face for a moment. How defenseless he was, leaving himself vulnerable when Iori was the only one around. If he wanted, Iori could take anything he wanted from Riku in that moment. Yet all he wanted, was to look at him.

Iori gently touched the side of Riku’s face, feeling his soft skin. He chuckled, amused at how Riku didn’t even flinch. He was such a deep sleeper and felt nothing as Iori touched him. How defenseless. Suddenly, Iori lifted Riku up in his arms and held him like a princess. Gently, he laid his boyfriend down on his bed and tucked him under the covers warmly. He was so cute when he slept. Too cute. Iori was blessed to have such a wonderful, innocent, _clueless_ boyfriend as Riku. He didn’t deserve him.

He didn’t deserve him one bit.

Iori didn’t lay another touch upon Riku after tucking him in, and carefully made his way over to the door. He looked back over his shoulder before exiting the bedroom to return to his own quarters.

“I’m sorry Nanase-san."


	6. Reflection

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Look at your reflection! Look at yourself! Don’t say I’m the only one you see. Don’t you see you!? For once, be selfish. Stop seeing HIM in your own reflection!"

“Alright! Looks like we have time for one last fan letter. And it’s for Riku!” Mitsuki announced. It was Saturday night and Idolish7 was filming an episode of their show, _Kimi to ai na night_. They were in front of their live studio audience, and reading fan mail. Mitsuki eagerly opened their last letter and began to read it. “Dear Riku-kun! I am a sixteen year old girl and a big fan of Idolish7! You are my favorite, and have been since you first debuted. I was wondering, what would your ideal lover be like? Would you like an introvert or an extravert? And why? Please describe your ideal lover as my friends and I are very curious! Thank you! Love, Akane-chan.”

The audience clapped at the letter, as they seemed very excited for such a question. Idolish7 clapped as well. Everyone did. Except for one person. Iori Izumi sat there with a frown on his face, glaring at his brother.

“Nii-san. Isn’t that a bit inappropriate to as-“

“I’D LIKE TO DATE IORI!” Riku suddenly burst out, showing no shame. “My ideal lover would be a lot like Iori. They would be sweet, sensitive, and super smart! I’d probably pair better with an introvert since I am an extravert myself. And you know what they say! Opposites attract!” He giggled.

Iori's jaw dropped in horror, not believing what he was hearing Riku say on live television. “WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!?”

Riku laughed. “It’s true!” He smiled, looking over at Iori with his sparkling red eyes. “A perfect couple would fill each other’s gaps and work as one unit! Like two halves making a whole. A right brain, and a left brain…” He chuckled, directly at Iori. Then he turned back to the audience. “I’d like to date someone like Iori one day! And maybe even marry them too.”

_“Kyaaaaaaaaaaa!”_

_“Riku!! Iori!!”_

The fans went wild at Riku’s answer, cheering in ecstasy. Yet Iori just sat there, completely stunned by what Riku had said. The fact that they were dating was meant to be a secret. And although the truth hadn’t directly been revealed to the audience, Iori felt like he was outright being teased on stage. He glared at Riku.

“Nanase-san…”

The Idolish7 boys all laughed, since they knew the truth. Iori and Riku were already a couple. The moment was like a special little secret between the boys. Riku smiled at his lover. Iori was blushing so badly.

“I think Iori and Riku would be an adorable couple!” Mitsuki snickered. “Right!?”

“Eh!? Nii-san!” Iori sobbed.

“Yeah no one is better for Ichi than Riku!” Yamato proclaimed.

“No one makes Iori flustered like Riku does,” Sogo commented.

“Oh! And Riku is always at his happiest when Iori is around!” Nagi announced.

“Iorin gay,” Tamaki added.

Iori turned red like never before. He couldn’t believe what his friends were saying on live TV. Were they insane!? The audience screamed and raved at the moment. Yet Iori merely buried his face in his hands, humiliated. How dare they play this little game with him.

Mitsuki smiled and patted his little brother on the back. “Relax, Iori. We’re just teasing,” He giggled. Then he turned back to the camera. “Now then! Thanks for watching today’s episode everyone! We hope you catch us next t-!”

 _“Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!_ ” A few members of the audience began to chant. _“Iori~! Riku~!”_

Mitsuki’s eyes widened. “U-um. Haha. We hope you see you all next time so we-“

 _“KISS! KISS! IORI! RIKU! KYAAAAA!”_ More people joined in. Eventually, the entire audience stood up, jumping and screaming for Iori and Riku. The room was thrown into uproar. It was ear piercingly loud. The Idolish7 boys were shocked, and stared at the audience with fear.

Misuki knew it was his job to wrap the episode up. He saw the producers signaling him behind the camera. “U-um! Next week, we are planning to…!” Yet his voice was hardly audible over the screams of the audience. He swallowed nervously and looked at his brother.

Iori had never seen Mitsuki look at him so desperate for help before. Yet he knew he had to do something. Iori and Riku had started the problem. So it needed to be one of them to end it. Iori rose to his feet. “Please, please calm down!” He tried to call over the audience. "Please take your seats."

 _“KISS! KISS!”_ The audience persisted.

_“Don’t you love Riku, Iori!?”_

_"KYAAAAAA! KISS! KISS! KISS!"_

Iori swallowed. He never took embarrassment well. And this was the most humiliating moment of his entire life. The peer preasure was insane! His stomach was churning with anxiety and he felt like he would pass out at any moment.

_Kissing Nanase-san…On live TV. It could lead to scandal. No one can know we’re already a couple! We’ve never even had out first kiss. Well…I’ve had mine…b-but Nanase-san…Nanase-san…_

**“STOP!!!!”** Riku suddenly screamed at the top of his lungs. He jumped up from his seat and faced the audience head on. His screech had been so loud. So startling. It wasn’t like Riku to react in such a vicious way. The entire studio fell silent, staring at Riku in shock. Tear came to the red-hair boy’s eyes. And he looked at everyone in misery. “Please… p-please do not pressure us into such things! First kisses are special! They shouldn’t be forced! If we weren’t idols… this wouldn’t happen!” He yelped. “I…I’d never kiss Iori! NEVER! I’ll won’t kiss him and I never will!” He screamed. “NEVER!"

Without another word, Riku raced off stage and out of the room. The area fell silent, for what felt like an eternity. No one could believe what they had just seen. Especially Idolish7.

Mitsuki looked back at the camera nervously. “Ah! A-and now for a commercial break! Don’t go anywhere!” He smiled awkwardly.

“Nanase-san…” Iori watched in shock as Riku vanished behind the curtain to run backstage. “Don’t go…”

**_ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _ **

“Please excuse me…” Iori said, entering the dressing room.

After running offstage like damsel in distress, Riku had gone to hide in the dressing room. He was sitting on the couch, hugging his knees like a child. “I-Iori?” He squeaked, looking up when he heard his boyfriend enter the room. “How did you know I was in here?”

Iori sighed and approached Riku. He sat next to him on the couch. “Because I know you so well,” He answered. “You’re my boyfriend, after all.” He stared at Riku for a moment, not understanding what had gotten into him. “Well?” he urged. “Are you ready to tell me what’s wrong? Or are you just going to break down crying like a baby?”

Riku pouted, glaring at Iori with rage. “You’re so sharp-tongued!” He shouted. “Look. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I ruined the show and freaked out like that. I didn’t mean to cause a scene and…I don’t know what came over me.”

Iori studied Riku. His body language. His facial expressions. And of course, the tone of his beautiful voice. Iori was an expert at observing Riku. No one could read him better than Iori could. Yet in that moment, IRiku was acting so weird even Iori was confused. Nothing made sense. “Perhaps something is weighing on you, Nanase-san,” He realized. “Stress isn’t good for your health. Where is your inhaler? Do you feel light headed at all? You look a bit red. Nanase-san, just tell me where your inhaler is and I’ll go-“

 **“STOP!!!!”** Riku shrieked, just as loudly as he did in the studio. He covered his ears and trembled, as if being tortured by Iori’s words. “How are you so calm!? We were just humiliated on live TV and it was all my fault!” He sobbed. “But what was I supposed to do? Either I run off and disappoint the fans, or k-kiss you in front of everyone…and create the biggest scandal ever…”

_Biggest scandal ever, huh?_

Little did Riku know Iori was already caught in a worse scandal with somebody else.

“Nanase-san. Please relax. You were right to exit the stage rather than kiss me for the world to see,” Iori reassured his lover. “Through...perhaps your manner in doing so was a little over the top. I understand that the peer pressure had been substantial but it wasn’t appropriate to shout at the audience like you did. Besides, it’s not like what you were saying was the truth. About never wanting to kiss me.” He folded his arms. A moment of silence passed.

"..."

Iori grew concerned when he didn’t hear Riku reply. He looked at him in confusion. “…R-right?”

Riku paused. Then he lept up from the couch. “Iori! You’re being just as cruel as the audience! Putting me on the spot and forcing me to make such a difficult decision!”

Iori’s jaw dropped. He couldn’t believe Riku’s answer. “What do you mean difficult!?” He shouted, jumping up as well. “How is it a difficult decision!? I’m not asking you to kiss me now! I’m asking if you want to kiss in the future! We’re dating, Nanase-san! It’s fine if you’re not ready for it, but… saying you _never_ want it is ridiculous!”

Riku turned red and stomped a foot on the floor in anger. Iori and him bickered like little kids all the time. It was normal for them. But this argument wasn’t one that would occur between little kids. This was a serious disagreement. One Riku didn’t want to face. “It isn’t ridiculous! It’s my life!” He insisted. “Iori… maybe I’ll never be ready to kiss you!”

“Nanase-san…” Iori felt his heartbreak. He couldn’t tell if Riku was serious, or just yelling at him to prove a point. Whatever the reason, it infuriated him. “If you find kissing me so repulsive then why are we even together? Perhaps we’re better off without each other.” He folded his arms and faced the other way.

Riku shivered. “Th-that’s not what I meant! Please, Iori!” He grabbed Iori’s shoulder from behind. “You’re not listening to me. You never listen!” He begged, now clenching onto the back of Iori’s jacket and pulling it. “I…I just want our first kiss to be special. Being forced to kiss in front of an audience for fanservice isn’t special. It’s twisted. And wrong. If we were normal people we could go on dates all the time and fall in love naturally! But we’re not! We’re idols! We have to hide our relationship from the world and hide our true feelings.” He pressed his forehead to Iori’s back in sorrow. “It’s not fair. I want m-more than anything to be a good boyfriend for Iori. But… I don’t know how to do so. I’m sorry. I’m…” He sniffled. “I’m not good enough for you, Iori…”

                Iori’s eyes widened. He couldn’t believe what Riku had just admitted. His mind was spinning. Yet he didn’t hesitate to react right then and there. “NANASE-SAN!” He screamed, voice booming with rage. He whirled around, suddenly grabbing Riku’s wrist. And he squeezed it. “How dare you say that…”

                “Ahh!” Riku gasped when Iori grabbed his wrist. “Hey! L-let me go, Iori!” He cried, struggling to get away.

                “How dare you insinuate you’re not good enough for me. ARE YOU AN IDIOT!?” Iori shouted.

                Tears came to Riku’s eyes as his emotions overwhelmed him. He trembled violently, trying to pull away. But Iori was so much stronger than him. “I’m sorry! Please forget I said anything!”

                Iori growled. He couldn’t stand Riku’s attitude sometimes. That atrociously _adorable_ attitude that just drove him crazy. God it drove him crazy. How could someone be so cute? It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t natural. Riku was like a princess. Iori’s heart was set ablaze when he saw that desperate look in Riku’s eyes. Oh the things he wanted to do to him in that moment. Overpower him. Teach him. Assert his will over the small, innocent boy. That’s it. Teach him… _teach…_

                He decided that was exactly what Riku needed. To be taught a lesson.

                “Listen to me, Nanase-san. You’re an idiot if you don’t recognize how important you are to Idolish7,” He began. “And… how important you are to me… That’s it. I’ll show you. I show you just how amazing you are.” Iori growled. “Get up,” he commanded, in a low husky tone. Without warning, he began dragging his boyfriend by his wrist to the other side of the room. Riku was left no choice but to stumble after the other male.

“Ahh! Iori! Quit it!” Riku begged, like a helpless child. “Let me go, please! I-!” He gasped. Iori suddenly stopped pulling him. And instead, pushed him forward. Riku froze when he saw what he was standing in front of. It was a long, full length mirror that displayed his reflection. Riku looked at his reflection in confusion. “What are you doing, Iori…?” He whispered.

“Shh,” Iori hushed his lover. “Please calm down and indulge me just for a moment, Nanase-san,” He begged. “I won’t hurt you, I promise. I care about you more than anyone in the world…” He said sweetly.

Riku’s eyes sparkled as he looked at Iori’s face in the mirror. “Iori…”

Iori suddenly put his hands on Riku’s hips from behind, holding him in place in front of the mirror. “Stay,” He commanded.  

Riku gasped, almost instantly. “AHH! H-hey! What are you doing!?” He sobbed. No one had ever touched him like that before. It made him blush a bright red. “I don’t need you to scold me, like you always do! I know I was wrong to freak out on stage. I’m sorry, ok! I take it all back!” He yelled.

“This isn’t about that. This is about you and I,” Iori explained. “Nanase-san… I want you to look in this mirror and see how amazing you are. Gaze deeply into your own reflection and distinguish why you’re so incredible…”

 “Eh!?” Riku shrieked. He looked back into the mirror. And he quivered. He saw at his reflection. The reflection of a terrified red-haired boy trapped by the assertive male behind him. He blinked.

“Tell me Nanase-san…” Iori leaned into Riku’s ear from behind. “What do you see?” He whispered, ever so delicately. His sweet breath shafted against Riku’s ear, making the other male feel a chill run down his spine. “What do you see in the mirror?”

“Ah!” Riku gasped. “I-I don’t want to look in the mirror! I don’t like mirrors, Iori!” He yelped. It was the honest truth. Riku never liked his reflection, because it reminded him of someone. “MHH!” Riku suddenly gagged.

Iori yanked Riku’s chin back toward the front, forcing him to see his reflection. And he smirked. “Good boy…” He whispered. He slowly began moving his palms up and down Riku’s sides. Stroking. And caressing his beautiful curves. The motion was so smooth and perfect. He rubbed Riku’s body so tenderly. Worshipping his beautiful hips.

Riku fell into Iori’s trap and began melting. He shuddered and gripped onto the mirror for dear life. “H-Hey…what are you…?”

Iori chuckled. “Cute…” He whispered. He cleared his throat before leaning back into Riku’s ear. “Nanase-san…” He whispered. “Listen to me. You are Idolish7’s weapon. You alone. You have all the perfect traits to make the most perfect idol the world has ever seen,” He praised. “Your personality, your looks, your gorgeous precious adorable voice…”

“Hya!” Riku squealed when Iori suddenly grazed his nails on his sides. He panted softly, feeling heat rise in his body. It was like Iori was casting a spell on him. Riku was left no choice but to look in the mirror, Iori’s words ringing through his mind. “D-did you just call me… _perfect_?” He asked. He took that word very seriously when it came to Iori. Iori knew perfection better than anyone. Hearing that word from his lips was a blessing Riku didn’t think he deserved. “Iori…your h-hands…” He looked down, seeing Iori gripping his waist. It looked so posessive. 

“Does it feel good?” Iori smirked.

“Mn…” Riku could hardly speak, he was getting so lost in the moment. He squeezed his eyes shut and gave Iori a little nod.

Iori was aggravated Riku hadn’t used his voice to respond. He craved Riku’s voice so badly. He decided to do everything he could to pry that precious voice out of him. “Open your eyes, Nanase-san,” He commanded. “I want you to look in the mirror.”

Riku held back a moan and looked back to the mirror. He couldn’t believe how red his face had become. Was Iori really making him that flustered? He whimpered, feeling Iori’s gentle fingers trail up and down the sides of his tummy. It tickled. It itched. It felt so mindbreakingly good. Damn it! How did such simple touches from Iori feel so amazing?

Because he was Iori Izumi. Because he was perfect. That was the only explanation.

Iori tucked some of Riku’s red hair behind his ear. “Tell me, Nanase-san…” He whispered. “What do you see in the mirror? Describe it to me. Don’t exclude any detail.”

Riku squeezed his hands into fists, leaning onto the mirror in desperation. “Iori…” He muttered. “I…I see you,” He answered. “I see my boyfriend!”

Iori frowned. That wasn’t the answer he had wanted. “Wrong answer,” He growled in Riku’s ear. Frustration fuled him. And he suddenly got an idea of how he could prove to Riku just how perfect he was. “Hm. I’ve always liked this outfit on you, Nanase-san. Your Monster Generation costume…” Iori whispered, rubbing his hands on Riku’s tummy. “But it’s a bit too revealing. Letting the whole world see your body makes me a bit upset… Let’s get this naughty thing off of you. Shall we?”

“EH!?” Riku squealed. “N-naughty!? Iori, wha- AH!” He suddenly squealed, as Iori began tugging at his costume. He desperately yanked the vest shut, trying to cover his body. “Iori! You’re crazy!”

“Shhh… Don’t shout. It’ll hurt your _gorgeous_ _voice_ …” Iori whispered. It was a struggle. And Riku was relentless in his fighting. But eventually, Iori was able to strip Riku’s vest off of him, leaving his boyfriend shirtless. He neatly folded the vest and set it aside, before grabbing Riku and pushing him to the mirror again.

“IORI!” Riku yelped. “Stop! I don't want-!”

“God, look at you Nanase-san…” Iori’s eyes widened. “Mm…” He began massaging Riku’s shoulders. His palms rubbed lower and lower until they were on Riku’s back. He trailed his fingertips down Riku’s spine with ease, basking in every curve of his body. “You’re so beautiful…”

Riku suddenly stopped fidgeting. He swallowed, processing what his boyfriend had just said. “You think I’m…beautiful?” He asked softly. “Ah…!”

Iori reached his arms around again and began rubbing his fingers over Riku’s nipples. Poking and twisting the tiny nubs between his fingers. “Interesting…” Iori whispered, observing Riku closely. The logical person he was, he found it fascinating to observe Riku’s reactions- and compare them to Tenn’s. Twins were quite the test subjects. Tenn reacted nearly in the exact same way when touched in those places. Iori’s little experiment made him smirk, as he continued to smear pleasure into the other male. “I knew your body would be sensitive here…very interesting indeed…”

“Ah! Ohh Iori…!” Riku bit his lip, lobbing his head to the side.

“Eyes back on the mirror, Nanase-san,” Iori snapped. “Look at your reflection! Look at yourself! Don’t say I’m the only one you see. Don’t you see you!? For once, be selfish. Stop seeing HIM in your own reflection!"

“Iori! _Aaaah~!"_

“You’re beautiful, Nanase-san. Inside and out. Pure. Exquisite. Do not compare yourself to Kujou-san..." Iori commanded. "Idolish7 is nothing without you. Hear me? You’re the personification of talent…”

“I’m…!” Riku squeaked. He couldn’t handle the little whispers in his ear. He watched the reflection of Iori’s hands gliding on his skin. Somehow, seeing it in the mirror made it more exciting. Riku was trembling with pleasure. “B-but…!” He suddenly yelped. “I’m weak! I might have a few talents- but everyone does! More importantly, I was born with a weak body! It’s a curse, Iori! I’m just scared that I’m holding everyone back! What if Idolish7 would be better without me!? My illness will always get in the way!” He shouted. He sniffled, as tears began falling from his ruby red eyes. He cried, rivers streaming down his cheeks. He covered his face with both hands. “Maybe…Tenn-nii was right. Maybe…I’m not meant to be an idol.”

Normally, Iori would yell at Riku for saying such a thing. Yet in that moment, he didn’t feel rage. He felt an epiphany. “Nanase-san…” He groaned into Riku’s neck. “Don’t you remember the promise I made you? All that time ago...?” He whispered, lips brushing against Riku’s neck. “No matter what. I swear. _I will make you into a superstar.”_

Riku felt his hair stand on end. Iori’s chilling voice was so captivating. He found himself hypnotized by those delicious words. He cried more, trying to wipe away his tears. “You really think I can? Become a s-super star?”

Iori smirked as he was finally getting through to Riku. He wanted to break him. “Yes. And I’ll prove it. Look in the mirror. Watch how breathtakingly gorgeous you are when you melt for me, Nanase-san…See the desperate look in your eyes. The flustered expression on your face. How your body curves and complies to my every will…” He whispered. “Watch. And listen to your golden voice.”

Without warning, Iori began pressing kisses on Riku’s neck. Soft, warm lips lavished Riku’s bare skin. On his left. On his right. Between his shoulder blades. Iori made tiny red lovebites all over his boyfriend, claiming his beautiful body as his own. His teeth nibbled Riku’s ear. And soon, his tongue ran down Riku’s neck.

It had happened too fast. Riku’s innocent mind could hardly process what was happening. His body heated up in a passionate blaze- unlike anything he had ever felt before. He tried to cover his mouth. But instead he found himself leaning into the mirror, barely able to support himself.

“A…a-ahh! Oh Iori~! Ah!” A chorus of moans spilled from his lips. He was still crying. But it wasn’t out of sadness. It was out of pleasure. He felt kisses on his neck. And rubs on his chest. It was too much to bare for someone as sensitive as sweet Riku. He sobbed into the mirror for dear life. “Aaa Iori~ Please! Please!”

“Please what?” Iori growled, suddenly biting down on Riku’s ear. “Tell me what you want.”

“Uwahh!” Riku yelped. He had no idea what had gotten into his usual embarrassed Iori. Usually the younger male was too shy to hold hands, let alone initiate a connection like this. Perhaps it was because they weren’t facing each other, and eye contact was difficult. Or perhaps it was because Iori was growing up- swimming in his sweet youth- maturing into the cool and sharp person his physicality always implied he was.

But why? What was causing Iori to act so dominant all of the sudden? Riku had no idea. Little did he know it was because there was another person in Iori’s life, who had been teaching him- prying that dark side out of him. Someone else had been changing Iori. Changing his entire demeanor.

                “Y-yes! Yes, aaa I’m sorry…!” Riku sobbed. “Iori m-…make me…” He whimpered. “Make me into a super star…. CONTROL ME…!”

                Iori grinned. “Good boy.”

                Another moment passed as Iori worshipped every inch of Riku. Caressing his delicate, soft skin. Whispering sweet nothings into his ear. Riku trembled. And god how he moaned. His precious reactions only fuled Iori even more. Iori couldn’t hold back. He pressed his hips into Riku’s behind. And Riku instantly jolted in alarm.

                “Yes. That’s it…” Iori growled. “Let me hear that voice, Nanase-san. That voice that can change the world. Moan for me.”

                Riku rapidly shook his head. He bit his lip so hard it nearly started bleeding. “NMM! IORI! What’s gotten into you!?”

                “Say my name again.”

                “Ah! Please! This isn’t you!”

                “Nanase-san…I’m warning you…” Iori hissed. “Do you want to be a super star or not?”

                “Mm!” Riku sobbed. He choked down his cries and submitted to Iori. _“Yes!”_ He replied. “I’ll do anything…make me into a star…IORI!”

                “Again.”

                “IORI!”

                Iori pulled Riku's chin back toward the mirror, forcing him to see his desperate, melting reflection again. “You see it now, don’t you? Come on…” He urged. He looped his arms around Riku and cradled him. Resting his chin on Riku’s shoulder, he looked into the mirror with him. “What do you see?”

                Riku’s head was spinning. He didn’t handle any of this well. Perhaps Tenn would. But not Riku. Riku wasn’t like Tenn. He didn’t get these sorts of lustful urges. And he’d never beg for sex. He was much too afraid, and much too delicate to ever enjoy something so rough.

                The opposite of Tenn.

                Tenn was always confident. Tenn could lure people into anything to get whatever he wanted. Meanwhile, Riku always struggled. And now, he was struggling to tell his boyfriend no. Tenn would never tell Iori no. But Riku would. Riku didn’t want any of the physical contact. So unlike Tenn.

                They were exact opposites. Almost as if they were…

                “Mirror images…” Riku whispered.

                “Hm?” Iori kissed Riku’s neck.

                Riku swallowed, staring at the mirror in a trance. “I see…a couple. In the mirror. A couple that looks very good together… _Perfect_.”

                Iori smiled. “Is that so?” He asked. “Good. I’m glad I’ve finally shown you how perfect you are, Nanas-“

                “BUT IT’S NOT ME!” Riku suddenly shrieked. “AHH!” He slammed his fists onto the mirror in agony. Riku hated mirrors for a reason. He couldn’t ever look in one without seeing his twin. Tenn’s hairstyle was practically his but backwards, after all. Riku struggled to shake the images of his flawless twin from his mind. “I’M NOT… LIKE HIM!” He screeched. “AAHHH!”

                “NANASE-SAN!”

                “IORI!”

                “STOP THAT THIS INSTANT!”

                “LET ME GO! NEVER TOUCH ME AGAIN!”

                “STOP RESISTING! LISTEN TO ME!”

                “GET OFF OF ME! I’D RATHER DIE THAN KISS YOU, IORI!”

                “NANASE-SAN I’D NEVER HURT YOU!”

                “I SAID GET OFF OF ME, IORI!”

                After tussling, screaming, and clawing at each other, Riku eventually succeeded in ripping away from Iori’s grasp. It was so rough. He yanked away from his boyfriend with all his might, suddenly tripping and collapsing to the floor. Iori screamed his name. But it was too late. Riku fell down and laid on the hard floor in agony. He felt like he had been both mentally and physically tortured. And he had.

                “I’ll never kiss you, Iori...never..."

                “Riku! Iori!” A sudden voice called. Before Iori could react, the door to the dressing room suddenly flew open. Sogo and Tamaki rushed into the area. “You guys need-!” Sogo froze when he saw the scene before him.

                Tamaki’s sapphire eyes widened. “A-are you two ok?” He gasped. “What the hell? Why is Rikkun on the floor!?”

                “I’m fine! I-I-I’m fine!” Riku lied. He quickly rose to his feet and got his balance. Nervously, he grabbed his vest and began putting it back on. The whole scene looked suspicious. But Riku quickly changed the subject before questions could be asked. “What’s going on? Why do you two look so worried?”

                Sogo raised an eyebrow. But quickly turned back to the matter at hand. “There’s bad news. Manager needs to see everyone right away,” He clarified. “Apparently an article was just released by a gossip magazine. It’s already everywhere! Every website, every street corner, every social media post…”

                Tamaki nodded. “It’s the stupid media spreading rumors again. But this time they claim they have photographic evidence,” He added. “They claim one of our members is in a secret relationship. With a member of a rival group." He turned and looked at Iori with shameful, forlorn eyes.

                Iori felt his heart pounding. “Wh…what?” He whispered. “Who?”

                “It’s you, Iori,” Sogo informed. “You. And Kujou Tenn.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If yall read any of my other fics, this whole mirror thing was basically copying my one Mikayuu fic lmao. But it worked for Ioriku and hopefully it was sexy desu~  
> ANYWAYS! OOH~! Cliffhanger~! Feel free to leave comments and I'll update soon! <3 Thanks for reading!


	7. Stay

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “Iori…What are we?”

Iori wrote in his notebook before leaving the Idolish7 dorm:

_It is a cold Saturday evening. I can see stars outside my window, illuminating the night sky and highlighting the beautiful atmosphere. With the soft moonlight as my guide, I plan to make my way to the hotel downtown. Kujou-san has instructed me to meet him on the ninth floor. Now is my chance to escape before the others notice. However, I cannot help but wonder about Nanase-san's whereabouts. I pray for his wellbeing. I want to be the only one in the world to make him smile. Perhaps I can do so after tonight._

How ironic. Iori followed Tenn's directions to the hotel and knocked on the door he was instructed to approch. Only a few seconds passed before Tenn opened the door. He looked up, expression brightening when he made eye contact with the younger male. “Iori!” He exclaimed. Without thinking, Tenn lunged forwards and grabbed Iori into a warm hug. He embraced him sweetly, clinging to his waist with affection. And snuggling his face into Iori’s chest. “I missed you!”

                Iori blinked, startled by the sudden affection. “H-hello...” He said softly. He hesitated for a moment before slowly reaching his arms around Tenn’s waist. He returning the lovely hug. “Kujou-san…”

                Tenn’s heart fluttered when he heard Iori call his name. Being touched by him sent an electrifying shock through his body. He had missed those gentle hands so much. Yet he suddenly felt embarrassment strike him. It wasn’t often Tenn got embarrassed. But when he did, he turned bright red. “Ah!” Tenn pulled away in shame, not meaning to have grabbed Iori in such a way. He quickly forced his expression back into his usual emotionless face. “My apologizes,” He growled. “Come in.” He opened the door, gesturing for Iori to enter.

                Iori exhaled. Then he took a step forward, and entered the hotel room. Once inside, he looked around. It was a small yet beautiful room decorated in silver and black. It looked very regal, extravagantly elaborate. The wallpaper was elegant. The bed was huge. A gorgeous chandelier hung from the ceiling. And there was a beautiful view overlooking the nighttime city outside the window.

                “As expected of Trigger’s center…” Iori sighed under his breath.

                Tenn closed the door behind them. And locked it. “I apologize for asking you to meet me here,” He began. “But this appears to be the only way we can see each other. Free from Yaotome Productions, free from Takanashi… free from the pressure and stress of the vicious public trying to suffocate us…”

                Iori instantly knew what Tenn was referring to.

                “Have you seen the article yet?” Tenn inquired.

                Iori took a deep breath before replying. “Yes,” He answered. He cringed, recalling how he had cried himself to sleep numerous nights in a row. After a gossip article was posted claiming Tenn and Iori were having a secret affair, the entertainment world was in uproar. Interviews and paparazzi swarmed the Idolish7 dorm day in and day out. Iori couldn’t handle the pandemonium. This was his worst nightmare. “I cannot turn on my phone without seeing it everywhere. Idolish7 was horrified when the article was posted. Manager called a meeting to discuss it. It was humiliating…”

                Tenn nodded. “Anesagi-san did much the same thing. They must have snapped eight pens in half while scolding me in front of Gaku and Ryu,” He explained. For some reason, he was smiling. Much to Iori’s confusion. “Hm. Well?” Tenn urged. “What did you tell Idolish7? We need to have an explanation that doesn’t overlap.”

                Iori shuddered. “I…I told them… the article was fake.”

                “Fake?” Tenn raised an eyebrow. “You have to do better than that, Iori. They have photographic evidence!” He screamed, suddenly grabbing Iori’s shirt and yanking the younger male’s face closer to him. “Do you not understand the sheer indignity we’re drowning in!? I’m a professional! These kinds of things aren’t suppose happen to me!”

                Iori turned red with shock. He was terrified when Tenn lashed out at him. “I-I’m sorry!” He yelped. “I’m sorry, Kujou-san! I never wanted this to happen!”

                Tenn glared at Iori. “I’m the best the entertainment industry has to offer. I’ve been trained at such a young age on how to live the _painful and strenuous_ life of an idol! I know better than to break rule number one and get caught in a scandal with a rival!” He yelled. “It’s your fault! Y-your fault, Iori…” His grip on Iori’s shirt loosened until he let go. “F-for being so perfect. And stealing my heart…” He sighed in defeat.

Iori’s jaw dropped. He gazed into Tenn’s beautiful face in shock. “I s-stole your…?” He felt himself melt at Tenn’s words. “Kujou-san…”

“Ha-ha…” Tenn suddenly laughed, almost as if he were in pain. He smiled at Iori weakly. “And after all we’ve been through, you still refuse to call me my first name,” He sounded sad. “I’m pathetic.”

Iori swallowed. “Please do not take it personal! I-I refer to everyone like that! It’s polite. I’m younger than everyone, you know!” He defended. Then he sighed. “Look. I hate this mess as much as you do. I never intended for any of this to happen. And I’m terrified,” He explained, shuddering. “Absolutely terrified.”

Tenn sighed and sat down on the bed. He hung his head in defeat. It wasn’t like the poised Tenn Kujou to slump over so vulnerably. He almost looked human. “I’m sorry I yelled,” He apologized. “This must be harder on your than anyone. I understand that. You’re a high school student. A child. And children shouldn’t have to deal with these types of things…” He bit his lip. “I’m so sorry, Iori.”

Iori had never heard Tenn apologize in his life. He found himself pulled in by those sweet words. He sat down on Tenn’s left, quiet for a moment. “N-no need to apologize,” He spoke up after a while. Then he blushed. “Ahem. I am just as at fault as you. We’re in this together, Kujou-san.”

“Together?” Tenn looked over at Iori. His rosepetal eyes sparkled, making the most precious expression of joy. The moment Iori saw him, he melted. Iori was always weak to cute things. And in that moment, Tenn was the most adorable sight he had ever seen. He really did think he was beautiful.

Youth was meant to be a time for people to have fun and experiment. People were supposed to make connections, and learn and grow as human beings. But it was different for idols. They were limited. Restricted. Trapped. As a member of the rookie group, Idolish7, Iori was finally understanding just how suffocating the life of a celebrity was. He sympathized with Tenn. He revered him. And didn’t want him to suffer any more than the entertainment industry had already twisted him to be.

Yet Iori was trapped now, too. He had made a horrible mistake and didn’t know how to fix it. He loved Riku. He loved Tenn. But he didn’t know who he _loved_. Perhaps it was because he was so young. Although he was a genius, it’s not like he was truly mature enough to choose the love of his life. So instead, he was trapped between a cruel angel and a cheerful monster. He was 17. He was young. He was swimming in his youth.

Yet he had made a wrong turn.

And now he was drowning.

Pulling out his phone, Iori loaded the article. He leaned closer to Tenn so they could both see the dreadful thing together. He had looked over it a million times already, yet he still felt his stomach churning in disgust as he read the horrific headline.

                The title was: _Idolish Scandal_

                There were numerous paragraphs written, entailing details of the supposed secret romance between Iori and Tenn. Based on eye witness accounts, interviews, and even song lyrics- as if they had anything to do with those. Most of it could be considered lies. However, what couldn’t be ignored was the large picture at the end of the article. The undeniable proof that made his specific scandal more valid than any other gossip article in idol history.

                A picture of Iori pinning Tenn to a wall, holding his wrists on the sides of his head. He leaned into him so closely. Gripping his body. Their lips just centimeters apart. But what made the image so heartstopping was the look in their eyes. The aggressive, hungry glare in Iori’s silver orbs. And the delicate, submissive glow in Tenn’s rosey ones, reflecting Iori’s passion. No two people on earth looked at each other like with like that with such lustful desire unless there was something between them. And the article went on to say just that.  

                A moment of silence passed as both boys just stared at the image. Then, Tenn finally shattered the quiet. “I suspect a security camera took the photo. You can tell by the quality of the pixels and its dimensions. A paparazzi would have taken it as a RW2 file rather than a JPEG,” He described, as the fame expert he was. “Iori…we’re horribly lucky there were no cameras in the dressing rooms…”

                Iori shuddered, not wanting to think about that possibility. There could have been images circulating of them kissing, or worse, them having sex. He cringed, quickly turning his phone off. “I do not consider this lucky,” He advised. “I consider this a warning. We’re idols. Cameras surround us at every corner. We can’t let this happen again, Kujou-san. Hear me? This must never happen again!”

                Tenn gazed at Iori, not understanding if he was referring to pictures being taken, or their relationship as a whole. Then he realized something. What was their relationship? They never agreed they were dating. And they couldn’t. Iori was dating Riku. But was he truly? Or did he plan to break up with him still? Tenn’s mind was spinning. He didn’t want to be just an affair to Iori. He quickly leaned over and grabbed Iori’s hand, squeezing it in desperation.

                “Iori! I have a question…” He called. He looked at him desperately.

                Iori was startled by Tenn’s sudden touch. He looked down at his petite hand. Then up into his gorgeous eyes. Swallowing nervously, his heart pounded at that inevitable inquiry.

“Iori…What are we?”

                _Riiiing riiiing riiiing…_

                The sound of Iori’s phone sliced through the atmosphere. Both boys fell silent, staring at each other. No one dared move. Then, Iori slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.

                “Please excuse me. Hello?” He answered, without looking for who was calling. Instantly, his heart soared when he perceived a familiar, beautiful voice.

                “Hi Iori!” Riku cheered. “Sorry to call you so suddenly. I went to your room and you weren’t there! Kinako was in there though,” He rambled. “Where are you, Iori? I was getting worried.”

                Iori nearly gaged with shock when he heard that voice. “N-NANASE-SAN!?”

                Tenn’s jaw dropped as he listened. “Riku…?”

                “Ahaha. Yeah. Sorry if you’re busy,” Riku laughed nervously. “I realized we haven’t talked in a few days. Not since that episode in the dressing room…” He turned red. “Where are you, Iori?” He asked again.

                Iori swallowed, trembling with fright. “Wh-where am…I?” He whispered in horror. He quickly flashed a look at Tenn. A needy, desperate look.

                A precious look that only made Tenn grin with success. He loved when Iori relied on him. “Tell him you’re at school,” Tenn aided. “You’re at school helping a classmate with a project. And you won’t be home until later,” He folded his arms.

                Iori obeyed. “I’m at school, Nanase-san,” He answered. “Helping a classmate with a project. Sorry for leaving without telling anyone.” Iori was sensitive. He was a terrible liar. In fact, he realized in that moment that he had never lied to Riku in his life. He had never lied to _anyone_ in his life. He felt his emotions turn sour as his collected attitude nearly resembled Tenn’s for a moment. Yet he didn’t have time to focus on it. Tenn had saved him. And that was all that mattered. “You needn’t worry about me, Nanase-san. I’ll be home later.”

                “Good boy, Iori,” Tenn smirked. “Now hang up,” He commanded.

                Riku smiled. “Oh! A school project! Fun!” He bubbled. “I guess I didn’t hear anything from Tamaki since he never pays attention in class, haha!” He believed the lie.

                “Iori. Hang up on him,” Tenn hissed. “Now, Iori!”

                Iori’s heart pounded with anxiety. He couldn’t stay on the phone with Riku while Tenn was there! He needed to find a way to analyze the situation and solve the dilemma quickly. Yet he was never good under pressure. Just like what happened at Mufest

                “I wanted to apologize, Iori,” Riku continued. “I was wrong to lash out the way I did a few days ago. I don’t know what came over me,” He explained.

                Tenn growled, clenching his hands into fists. “I told you to break up with him, Iori. You’re no good for my little brother. The longer you pull this stunt, you’ll only hurt him more,” He snapped. “Iori is Riku’s poison!”

                “SHH!” Iori begged, covering Tenn’s mouth with his left hand. He continued to hold the phone to his ear with his right. “I-I apologize as well, Nanase-san!” He continued the conversation. “I should have spoken to you about this days ago. My apologies.”

                “It’s not your fault, Iori! I’m sorry I’ve been in such a weird mood lately. I guess it’s just the stress from being an idol, hehe…”

                “S-stress?” Iori asked, instantly wondering if he was putting too much strain on Riku again. He didn’t want Tenn to be right! He didn’t want to face the reality that he was making Riku suffer!

                “Mhh!” Tenn shoved Iori’s hand away. “Iori, listen to me. I will give you to the count of three,” He whispered. “You do not want to upset me.”

                Iori shuddered. “I-its ok, Nanase-san! We can talk more when I get home, alright!?”

                “No, no! Wait, Iori!” Riku begged. “I have something I need to say. It’s kind of embarrassing so I might as well say it over the phone,” He went on. “The truth is… I feel like I’ve been a bad boyfriend to you. I don’t let you touch me or kiss me or-…! A-any of that stuff!”

                “One…” Tenn began counting.

                Iori felt like crying. He didn’t know what to do. “Wh-wh-what are you talking about Nanase-san?”

                Riku sighed. “You’re my first boyfriend. So I don’t really know what I’m doing. I want to make you happy but… I’m really scared. I’m scared I’ll disappoint you. And you’ll leave me! Iori, what if I do something wrong and you abandon me!?”

                “Abandon you?” Iori was shocked.

                “Two…” Tenn growled. He folded his arms in rage. “I’m warning you, Iori…”

                Iori was scared of Tenn. And confused by Riku. “Nanase-san, what are you talking about? I’d never abandon you. Why would you say something like that?”

                Riku groaned. “Urggg I don’t knowwww,” he sobbed. “I’m just really scared of messing up! This is a secret, Iori. I’ve never had my first kiss! Ah!” He admitted, like a squeaky school girl. “I don’t know how to do it and I don’t know how to handle physical intimacy. What if I mess up? What if I freak out and have an attack!? What if we get romantic at the wrong place and time and get caught!? It could cause a huge scandal for Idolish7!”

                Iori’s head was spinning. He could sense the distress in Riku’s voice. He didn’t like when that gorgeous voice was laced in agony. Yet he didn’t know how to help him. It’s not like he could make him feel better by saying he hadn’t had his first kiss either, or that he had never gotten physical with anyone. That would be another lie. Yet Iori began to contemplate Riku’s words. He had never thought about how Riku’s respiratory illness would play into a physical relationship. “Perhaps your illness could pose an issue,” He stated, simply.

                Riku took that the wrong way. And nearly broke down crying. “I’M SO SORRY I WON’T BE ABLE TO PLEASE YOU, IORI!” He suddenly burst out. “I’m useless! I’m weak! You’ll never be happy with me because I can’t give you that pleasure! I’m not good enough for you and I never will be!” He sobbed, unleashing his emotions that had built up over the past few days of not speaking to Iori. “At this rate… You’ll abandon me! I know you will! You’ll leave me! Desert me! Just like everyone does! WHY, IORI, WHY!?”

                Iori couldn’t believe his ears. Riku sounded fiercely hysterical. He always knew Riku had abandonment issues. But this was out of hand. Riku nearly sounded mentally unstable. “Nanase-san, calm down! Calm down! I never said I would leav-!”

                “Three,” Tenn suddenly cut Iori off. Unable to wait any longer, he decided to advance. He would do anything to get Iori’s attention back on him. And as the master of manipulation he was, he knew just how to do so. He got on the floor and sat on his knees in front of Iori’s legs. He blinked up at him, batting his long eyelashes. And titled his head to the side innocently.

                Iori looked at Tenn with a terrified expression. He didn’t know what Tenn was up to, and in that moment he didn’t care. Squeezing his eyes shut, he tried to continue the conversation with his boyfriend. “Do not say such things, Nanase-san. I don’t care if you can’t get physical. I’m not dating you for that. I’m dating you because I lo-…! UWAHH!” His eyes suddenly shot open. When he looked back down, he nearly had a heart attack. What he saw was enough to make his soul leave his body. He almost dropped the phone and broke it

                “Hmhm~” Tenn chuckled. He had successfully unzipped Iori’s pants. And pulled out Iori’s cock. He wrapped his slender hand around it, smirking up at the other male with satisfaction. “Such a bad boy, Iori~” He whispered, so only Iori could hear. “Playing the two of us like we’re your little sluts. If Riku refuses to get physical with you because he’s _too scared_ , then your body belongs to me,” He snickered. “Poor little Iori. Did your cock miss me?”

Iori was horrified. He wanted to shove Tenn away in humiliation. But he couldn’t make a verbal scene with Riku listening! And with such a serious conversation underway, he couldn’t hang up either! He was trapped. “S-STOP!”

                “Iori! Are you ok!?” Riku gasped.

                Iori rapidly shook his head. “I’m fine I’m fine I’m fine!” He sobbed. “N…Nanase-san, please listen to me. I would never break up with you for such a trivial reason. Your physical abilities do not define you. You’re worth so much more to me than that.”

                Riku perked up. “R-really?”

                “Besides, I’d never build an entire relationship on lustful desires and intercourse.”

                Tenn felt something snap in him when he heard Iori say that. Starved for attention, the boy quickly stuck out his tongue and ran it up Iori’s cock. Licking him from base to tip. Coating Iori’s dick in wet, hot saliva. He smirked up at him with gratification. “Mm~”

                Words cannot describe the horror Iori experienced in that moment. He couldn’t hold back his alarm. “A-AHH!” He yelled, feeling pleasure shock his body. He quickly gasped, covering his mouth with his hand. He looked down at Tenn in fury. In desperation. In weakness. That silent eye contact was enough to exchange a million words.

                _Kujou-san… don’t…_

_Iori…I’ll show you who you belong to…_

                “I know you don’t want me to feel bad. But being able to show someone you love them through touchy ways is important! I think! That’s what Nagi said!” Riku expressed. “Iori… don’t you get it? I can’t even kiss you. It might cause an attack! I’ll never be able to kiss you!”

                Iori gazed down at Tenn, completely mesmerized as the other male licked his cock. It was the most beautiful, hypnotic thing he had ever seen. His dick started to get hard in Tenn’s hand, growing in length. God Tenn looked so good. He was so slutty with a cock to his lips. Pleasureable chills ran through Iori’s body, making his skin tingle. He was so distracted he hardly remembered he was on the phone.

                “I-Iori? Are you still there?”

                “AH! Yes!” Iori snapped out of it. “Sorry! What did you say?” He inquired. “Don’t take any advice from Rokuya-san. Ever. Besides, don’t they kiss as a greeting in his country?” He clarified. “Listen, Nanase-san. You’re lucky this conversation is on the phone because it’s mortifying. But I need you to know th-tha…aaa…Oh god!” He suddenly slurred. “Ah!”

                “Mmh…” Tenn groaned, beginning to stroke his hand on Iori’s dick. He gave him multiple pumps, up and down. At a deliciously slow pace. Enough to drive him crazy. Every now and then he would press a kiss on Iori’s tip, with his soft angelic lips. It sent electricity down Iori’s spine, pleasure flooding his body. He couldn’t handle it.

                “Nn…” He moaned, arching his back. He closed his eyes in deep pleasure.

                “Mmn. That’s my sweet Iori. Melt for me. I’m the only one that can make you feel so good…” Tenn chuckled devilishly. “You’re so sensitive. So weak to me. Melt for me…”

                Iori didn’t have the strength to push Tenn away anymore. He roughly bit down on his knuckle, desperate trying to hold back his moans. Yet Iori was truly a sensitive mess. Keeping in his pleasured noises was the hardest thing he had ever done. He had never gotten a blowjob before. And he hardly knew what it would feel like. Yet somehow, Tenn was an expert at it. Every touch, every kiss, every warmth. It was mindbreaking. How he knew just where to touch was beyond Iori. The poor perfectionist couldn’t wrap his analytical mind around it. His cock was now erect and dripping at Tenn’s mercy.

                “What was that?” Riku asked, cluelessly.

                “N-nothing!” Iori gasped for air. “Your health is more important that my desires! I’m not some playboy, Nanase-san! I don’t, mn, desire such perverse things! I’ll only kiss you if you want!”

                Riku’s face lit up. “Really? But I thought boys wanted naughty and dirty things!”

                “Nanase-san, you’re a boy too.”

                “Oh yeah.”

                Tenn’s lips pulled off Iori’s cock with a pop. Drooling, he looked up at Iori with seductive eyes. He licked his lips. “Mmn. You taste so good, darling. I’ll make you cum for your precious boyfriend to hear~”

                “N-no!” Iori sobbed, trying to yank Tenn’s hair back. Yet Tenn didn’t care if he was dragged around like a doll. He liked it rough. Disobeying, he placed his lips back onto Iori’s cock. And slowly began bobbing his head on it. The hair pulling only turned him on.

                “AAH KUJOU-!” Iori covered his mouth

                “Iori? What was that?” Riku questioned. “Is there someone there with you?”

                “I’M FINE!” Iori burst out, not knowing he had been asked a different question. His mind was breaking. Without thinking, he found his hand losing its rough grip on Tenn’s strawberry hair. And before he knew it, he was petting Tenn’s head lovingly. Twirling his soft hair in his fingers. Rewarding him for doing such a good job. “God, oh god, oh god…!”

                “Mnn…” Tenn purred, bobbing his head on Iori’s cock. He thought the taste was delicious. He sucked on him like candy. The most delicious candy in the world. Hearing Iori fall apart was so cute. He loved hearing those dazzling moans fall from Iori’s lips. He felt it twitch in his mouth and he knew Iori was close to his climax. He made direct eye contact with Iori. Then, he suddenly deep throated the entire length.

                “AH!” Iori arched his back. He felt overstimulation seize him as he drowned in the pleasure. “S-so…good…”

                “Iori!?”

                “Mn…Nanase-san. If kissing is so important to you… And you refuse to do it…Then what’s the point in dating?” Iori asked, hardly thinking. “You won’t even give me a chance. It’s unfair. At this rate it’s like we aren’t even a couple…”

                Riku’s eyes widened. He jumped up from where he was sitting. “What!? Iori, no! That’s not what I meant!” He sobbed. “I just want to make you happy! But I’m scared…s-scared that…”

                Iori growled. “Are you an idiot!?”

                Riku didn’t understand that Iori’s emotions were crumbling, and his mind was breaking. He thought Iori was mad at him. So he teared up. “Iori, please! You’re my everything! I don’t want to lose you! I LOVE YOU!”

                _You’re my everything._

_I don’t want to lose you._

_I love you._                                                

                Iori had yearned to hear those heartthrobbing words from Riku since the day he met him. Such a gorgeous voice. Such profound words. In a normal circumstance, he would turn red. And melt. And most likely cry tears of joy. However, he felt his body betraying him. He could hardly focus on Riku.

                “A…ah…!”

                “Please come back home right now so we can talk, Iori!” Riku begged. “Our relationship is at stake! You sound like you hate me! Please come home!”

                “I C-C-CAN’T…!”

                Tenn popped his mouth off Iori’s dick once again. He began stroking his hand at an insane speed, wanting to push Iori over the edge of insanity. “Cum for me, little Iori…” He whispered, smirking up at him with lust. “Just give in. You know you want to… God, it feels so good. It’ll feel so good to cum, Iori…” He urged him. “Close your eyes. Hang up the phone. And cum all over me.”

                Iori shivered violent as his body couldn’t handle the mindbreaking pleasure. “Y-YES!” He moaned.

                “Iori…I’m losing faith in our entire relationship. If you refuse to come home and talk it out, then we’re at a stalemate,” Riku declared. “You obviously don’t want to fix this! So I’ll just leave you alone!” He sobbed. “B-but before I go…I wanted to ask you something. Something I’ve been too scared to ask you for the past few days…”

                Tenn sucked harder on Iori, working his little mouth to please him. He already won Iori’s full attention. Now he just needed to break him. He gazed up at Iori with half-lidded eyes, loving every sweet moan that escaped his lips. Iori was so cute when he moaned.

                “Aaa-aaask me…!” Iori begged, not knowing how much longer he could last.

                “Iori,” Riku said. “I want to know the truth about the gossip article. Why were you pinning Tenn-nii to the wall? Was the article really fake? What’s your true relationship with him?”

                Iori felt his world crumble around him. He had prayed every night that Riku wouldn’t directly ask him that damn question. He hadn’t thought of a proper explanation. And now he couldn’t, because his mind was too far gone.

                “I-I’ll see you tomorrow! Nanase-san!”

                “Huh? Tomorrow!?” Riku yelped. “What do you mean tomorrow!? Where are you!? IORI!”

                “Ahh I-I love…you!”

                “I just want to know the truth ab-!” Riku gasped. “You…you love me?” He felt his heart skip a beat.

                Iori had no control. He didn’t even know who he was saying those words to. He cringed, feeling the pleasure overwhelm him. “I h-have to go! Nanase-san… Goodbye!”

                “IORI!” Riku sobbed.

                “Goodbye!”

                _Click!_

                Iori hung up the phone and threw it with his last bit of energy. The second the device left his hand, he grabbed his forehead in daze. _“A…! Hyaaaaaa!”_ He moaned passionately, cumming on Tenn’s face. He drenched the boy in his hot seed, painting his face white with sticky liquid. Iori covered his mouth in shame, desperately trying to hide his flustered expression. He hadn’t meant to cum on Tenn like that. God, Iori had never done something like that in his life! He thought it was vulgar and humiliating. He sobbed into his hands in mortification. “I’m s-sorry!”

                Yet Tenn thought it was anything but embarrassing. It was _spectacular_. He licked the discharge off Iori’s tip, cleaning every drop of it. And swallowing. Like it was the most delicious taste to ever grace his tongue.

                “Mmhh…good boy, Iori. That’s my little Iori~” He hummed with approval. Liquid dripped down his chin. He began collecting it on the back of his hand and licking it off like a cat. It was drop dead sexy.

                Iori stared down at Tenn, mesmerized. Seeing his cum on Tenn’s face stirred some dominant instinct in Iori. “K…Kujou-san…” He whispered, in a trace. “You’re beautiful…”

                Once Tenn cleaned himself up, he stuck is tongue out for Iori to see that all of it was gone. “Don’t be embarrassed, sweetie. We both got exactly what we wanted,” He grinned. “Didn’t we?”

                “Kujou-san!” Iori sobbed, flopping back onto the bed. He stared up at the ceiling, holding back tears. “How could you do that!? Why!? Nanase-san could have figured everything out! Is that what you want!? Is that what you want, Kujou-san!?”

                Iori felt the perturbation of sheets and blankets. Tenn crawled onto the bed and laid next to him, resting his chin in his palm. He gazed at Iori. “You know what I want.”

                “No I don’t!” Iori looked at Tenn with distress. “What is it that you want!?”

                Tenn merely smirked. He reached out and caressed the side of Iori’s face. _“I want you.”_

                Iori felt his heart flutter. He couldn’t deny that Tenn had done an amazing job. He quivered, getting a warm feeling in his body. The two had never laid next to each other in bed before. Somehow, it felt lovely. Magical. Like some sort of fairy tale. Iori wondered if that was how couples felt when they woke up in the mornings. He blushed, realizing such thoughts were far too romantic and fluffy. Not at all cool and sharp. Plus, he wasn’t in a romantic relationship with Tenn to begin with.

                _Was he?_

                “That felt…really good. Kujou-san…” Iori said softly. “So good…”

                “Did it?” Tenn pet Iori’s hair gently. “Good. I live to make you happy, Iori.” He leaned closer to him. He curled up to Iori’s chest, like a girlfriend would to a boyfriend. He nuzzled between Iori’s arm and chest. “I missed cuddling with you, baby.”

                “I missed it too…” Iori admitted, truthfully.

                “Do you ever think about me when we’re apart?” Tenn asked. He blushed. “I-it’s fine if you don’t. I know we can’t see each other often because of all these circumstances out of our control…but…” He whispered. “That doesn’t mean I care for you any less. You mean so much to me, Iori. You’re the only one who… Likes the real me…”

                Iori swallowed. Tenn’s words were so genuine. Of course, their relationship had been built upon a foundation of sexual interactions. Yet it had bloomed into something more. Tenn enhanced Iori’s confidence. And Iori enhanced Tenn’s passion. Having to fake his personality 24/7 for the fans was exhausting. Sometimes Tenn felt lonely. Like no one in the world knew the real him. But he had shown the real him to Iori. And Iori thought he was beautiful. It made Tenn feel the love he had never experienced in his suffocating life. Perhaps that was why Tenn was so addicted to him. Iori was his comfort- his safety- his one and only confidant in the whole world.

                “I think about you all the time,” Iori leaned in to whisper in Tenn’s ear. “From first thing in the morning when I wake up, to tossing and turning in bed before I sleep…” He admitted. “Th-the other day, I found myself zoning out in class dreaming about you. Yotsuba-san had to nudge me to snap me out of it. It was so embarrassing…”

                Tenn giggled, loving the hum of Iori’s soft whispers in his ear. “Somehow I can’t imagine the perfect Iori Izumi zoning out in class.”

                Iori blushed. “Neither can I…” He sighed. He pressed his lips to Tenn’s forehead. “But I guess you have an effect on me…”

                Tenn felt butterflies in his stomach. For the first time in his life his heart was truly pounding. Not for the fans. But for one person. One amazing person who made him the happiest boy on earth. “I know this is wrong…” He whispered. “God. I know even just being alone with you is wrong. Let along kissing, touching, and having sex. But I’d rather die than lose you, Iori!” He clenched onto Iori’s shirt. “This is torture for me too, you know! I don’t want to get caught! I don’t want to ruin Trigger and…DISAPPOINT THE FANS!” He sobbed. “But most of all… I do not want to steal my brother’s boyfriend. That was never my intent. Never…”

                “Shh. It’s alright,” Iori brushed his thumb over Tenn’s bottom lip. He looked into his pretty face. And he smiled. “I understand. I understand.”

                Tenn smiled back. “You _don’t_ understand,” He replied. “But maybe you will someday soon.” His eyes sparkled. “Oh Iori…”

                Iori closed his eyes for a moment, hugging Tenn to his chest. He could run his hands along every gorgeous curve of Tenn’s body, and worship him. Even with his eyes shut. He knew the angelic curves of his body so well by now. He had them memorized. Just where to touch to pry the most precious reactions out of him. To hear that sweet little voice sob in pleasure.

                _That voice…_

                A quick image of Riku flashed through Iori’s mind. Sparkling ruby red eyes and a smile that can light up a room. Iori gasped, horrified, and yanked away from Tenn.

                “Uwah!”

                Tenn looked at Iori. “Huh? What’s wrong?” He asked.

                Iori shivered. He no longer cared if he was having a secret relationship. His issue wasn’t the scandal. His issue was the constant realization that he was cheating on Riku. Riku. The person he was supposed to love more than anyone else in the world.

                “I promised to never abandon Nanase-san…” Iori sniffled. “Only a fool would abandon someone as wonderful as him…”  

                Tenn frowned. He felt bad for Iori. He really did. And he felt bad for Riku too. But he wasn’t ready to explain all that. Simply wanting to cheer his beloved up, he leaned his face to Iori’s ear.

“If Riku refuses to kiss you then I’ll kiss you a thousand times to make up for it, darling,” He whispered. He nibbled on Iori’s ear gently, kissing and teasing. With his lips. His teeth. His tongue.

Then he suddenly pressed his mouth to Iori’s and embraced him. Sparks flew. Iori couldn’t deny it. It only took a moment before his dominant urges took over and he rolled Tenn over, pinning him down. Their sloppy kiss broke and they both panted, locking dazed eye contact.

“Haah, ah, hah…I won’t make you stay here, Iori,” Tenn whimpered. “You have your own will. But if you do choose to stay with me… C-could you please…” He bit his lip. He had never said something so pure in his life. “Please hold me in your arms all night? Warmly. Lovingly. Hug me tight and don’t let me go until daybreak…” He begged, diamond eyes sparkling with plead. “Please don’t be gone when I wake up…That’s all I ask…”

Iori swallowed. “No matter what I do I’ll be abandoning one of you…” He realized.

"Whatever you choose, just don't leave half way through the night. I'd rather you leave right now than trick me into thinking you'll be by my side when I wake up," Tenn explained. "I will not be tricked again. I had someone who did that to me before..."


	8. Brothers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “I-I always wanted marry someone like Nii-san one day…”

“Get your ass in here and help me bake these cookies, damn it!” Mitsuki yelled, waving a spoon around in the air.

“Oh! Mitsuki! Apologies!” Nagi bowed his head sorrowfully. “I did not mean to take so long. I am very very sorry!”

Mitsuki frowned at Nagi and crossed his arms in unamusement. “Nagi, next time you plan on leaving the dorm for so long, tell me! I almost burnt the first batch of cookies waiting for you!”

Nagi blinked his sapphire eyes at Mitsuki in confusion. “What? No, no! I didn’t leave the dorm!” He clarified. “I was just in my room reorganizing my Kokona shrine. I got a new figures recently so I needed to make sure they were set up _beautifully_ and _elegantly_!” He gave Mitsuki a thumbs up.

Mitsuki furrowed his brow in anger. “EHHHHH!? You mean you were home the whole time!?” He screamed. “Nagi didn’t you hear me screaming for help!?”

Nagi was hardly phased by Mitsuki’s rage and suddenly began to laugh. “Ahahaha! Do not worry, Mitsuki! I’m sure your sweets will taste lovely no matter what!” He boasted. “Come on, dear friend! Let’s try them! GOOOOOOOO!” He ran off to the living room.

“Ah! Wait up!” Mitsuki chased after the blonde male. He sat down next to him on the couch. The two looked at the tray of cookies in front of them. There were chocolate chip cookies, sugar cookies, oatmeal raisin, cinnamon, and many more delectable flavors. They were decorated perfectly with sprinkles and icing. Truly a beautiful sight. 

“Wow!” Nagi exclaimed. “They are so small and cute! Like you, Mitsuki!”

                “Oi, what’s that supposed to mean?” Mitsuki growled. “Here, you can have the first one. I need to know if their burnt or not.” He grabbed a chocolate chip one and handed it to Nagi.

“Oh! NOMNOMNOMNOM!!!” Nagi fucking shoved the entire cookie into his mouth.

Mitsuki’s jaw dropped. “NAGI!” He screamed.

“Jesus Christ!” Nagi exclaimed, his mouth full. “It’s WONDERFUL, Mitsuki! You are the most talented, amazing baker in the world!” He cheered, eyes sparkling like stars. “I am so honored! Having the lovely Mitsuki bake for me is truly an honor desu!”

Mitsuki blushed, and glanced away in embarrassment. “Well, I don’t know about that. But I’m glad you liked it. My parents own a bake shop anyw-“

 ** _“TICKLE FIGHT!!!”_** Nagi randomly screamed, tackling Mitsuki down. He pinned him to the couch and began tickling him all over, laughing joyfully. It was so sudden. And so god damn random. Wtf is wrong is nagi.

“WAAHH! N-NAGI!” Mitsuki yelled as he was pushed down. “Y-you’re crazy! Ahaha!” He squealed. Soon, he was trapped by the taller boy. Yet he couldn’t even revolt with anger as he usually did. Because he suddenly couldn’t stop laughing. “A-ah! Haha! Hahaha!” He giggled as Nagi’s hands ran up and down his torso. “D-damn it! Na- haha! Nagi, st-! Ahaha!” He fidgeted around in ecstasy.

Nagi loved the little giggles that fell from Mitsuki’s lips. And he adored his precious little smiles. “SUPER MAGICAL LOVE LOVE TICKLE ATTACK!” He yelled.

“N-NAGI!”

The two continued to wrestle around for a moment. No one drove Mitsuki as crazy as Nagi did. But also, no one made him smile as much. He never thought he would form such a deep bond with someone so beautiful, and someone so god damn stupid as Nagi Rokuya. But the truth was that Mitsuki felt a special connection with Nagi that he didn’t feel with anyone else. Nagi was someone he adored wholeheartedly. He really, really loved him.

After a moment, Nagi stopped tickling Mitsuki and put a hand on the boy’s forehead, brushing back his orange bangs. He admired his soft features for a moment, gazing into his sunset eyes. Mitsuki was so tiny and vulnerable below him. “Oh… You’re out of breath…” He realized.

Mitsuki’s cheeks turned pink. “O-of course I am! You were tickling me to death!” He panted for air. He took a pillow and whacked Nagi over the head with it.

“OH!” Nagi got hit by the pillow and rubbed his head. “Sorry. I was missing your smile and really wanted to see it. You were cute while being tickled. It made my heart race! Mitsuki always makes my heart race desu!”

Mitsuki blinked. And turned his head to the side. “D-don’t just say something like that so casually, Nagi…” He growled. “Jeeze. What are you trying to do?”

Nagi smiled. “I want to make you happy, that’s all!” He announced. He slowly leaned in closer and caressed the side of Mitsuki’s face with his palm. He looked deeply into his eyes, their faces just inches apart. “Mitsuki…when you’re with me…” Nagi whispered. “Are you happy?”

Mitsuki felt his heart explode in his chest. Being so up close to Nagi was electrifying! He had such gorgeous sapphire eyes and rich golden hair. His beauty was too much to handle. Mitsuki’s little heart could hardly take it. He was at a loss for words, gazing up at the Northmarean man in shock. Biting his lip shyly, he prepared to respond. Yet before he could, the door suddenly opened:

“Please excuse me,” A gentle voice called, entering the room. Iori walked into the area and looked around. “I am home from school. Is anyone h-…?” He suddenly froze dead in his tracks when he saw the couch. The scene in front of him was shocking. Nagi was pinning Mitsuki down, hovering right on top of him. He gently caressed the side of Mitsuki’s soft face. And Mitsuki had his arms above his head, completely at Nagi’s mercy. It was the most suggestive scene.

 “OH! Hello, Iori!” Nagi smiled casually, like nothing was going on. “How was school? Tamaki stayed home today, yes? He overslept so he just decided to stay home. I heard him playing video games all day. Were you ok at school without him des ka?” He rambled. “I ATE MITSUKI’S-!”

“NAGI!” Mitsuki screeched in horror, forcibly shoving his friend off of him. Nagi rolled off the couch like a log and fell onto the floor. Growling, Mitsuki jumped up and brushed himself off. He muttered something under his breath before turning back to his brother. “Um. W-welcome home, Iori!”

Iori blinked. He had no idea what he had walked in to. But he didn’t like it. He merely walked past Mitsuki and over to the kitchen to fix himself a cup of tea. He didn’t say a word.

Mitsuki pouted when Iori ignored him. “Nagi, how about you take the tray of cookies an-“

“OK! ALL MINE DESU!” Nagi picked up the tray of cookies. “Oh! Hot! Hot!”

“Damn it Nagi, no!” Mitsuki face-palmed. “Take the cookies and distribute them to the other members. They are for everyone, not just you,” He explained.

Nagi blinked at Mitsuki, as if processing the information. Then suddenly, his face lit up and glowed with ecstasy. “SPECIAL MISSION DES KA!?”

Mitsuki sighed. “Yes. Special mission.”

“YAY!” Nagi cheered. “I shall be the best cookie distributor ever! See you later, dear friends!” He rushed off with the cookie tray. He passed Iori on his way out. “Iori! Would you like a cookie too?” He smiled at him brightly. Yet Iori paid Nagi no mind. He didn’t even look at him as he began getting out what he needed to make tea. “Oh…” Nagi blinked. “Ok. Maybe later!” He smiled again, that bright smile that could steal anyone’s heart. He rushed off and out of the room, closing the door behind him. Once he was gone, the two brothers were finally alone.

Mitsuki exhaled. Whether it was out of stress relief, or due to liberation from Nagi’s antics- he didn’t know. But he was glad to be alone with Iori. He hesitated for a moment before wandering over to the kitchen. He stood on the other side of the counter and watched Iori fix his tea. He observed him for a moment, debating what to say.

Mitsuki always did his best to be a good big brother. But sometimes it was very difficult for him. Iori was so much more mature and intelligent. He was perfect and excelled in absolutely everything he did. Mitsuki, on the other hand, had to work super hard to become good at things. Not even being an idol came naturally. He had failed so many auditions. And in the end, Iori ended up being the one scouted by Takanashi Productions- not Mitsuki. Sometimes Mitsuki saw himself as a pathetic tag along that only got in due to his brother. It made him feel weak. Useless. He hated feeling like that. Especially since he was the older brother, and was supposed to be the one leading and guiding Iori. Not the other way around.

A long silence continued as Mitsuki got lost in his thoughts. Then suddenly, he noticed Iori spilling hot water, as his cup overflowed. “Wah! Iori, look out!” He called.

“Eh?” Iori finally looked up at his brother. It was almost as he had just noticed him. As if his mind had been somewhere else too. “Uwah!” He gasped in his little Iori voice, noticing the water he had spilled. He quickly looked around for a towel and began wiping it up, frantically. He looked like he was sweating, like he was under pressure for some reason.

Mitsuki noticed it instantly. He knew his little brother well. “Iori?” He asked. “Are you ok?”

Iori finished wiping up the mess and folded the towel, before setting it aside. “My apologizes,” He stated. “I didn’t mean to startle you, Nii-san. Thank you.” He lifted his navy blue mug to his lips and took a drink.

Mitsuki eyed Iori suspiciously. It wasn’t like the flawless Iori Izumi to make a silly mistake like spilling something. That was something normal people did. Mitsuki could tell something was wrong. “Did something happen at school today?” He suddenly asked.

Iori was alarmed by Mitsuki’s sudden inquiry. He set his cup down and looked at him. “No. Why would you ask that?”

Mitsuki bit his lip. It was so hard to tell what was going on inside that analytical mind. Even for him. “Y…Y-You know, Iori. You can always tell me if something is bothering you! Nii-san is always here for you! Whether you just need me to listen, or even beat up a bully on the playground!” He declared proudly, putting his hands on his hips.

“Please do not beat anyone up, Nii-san. There is no bully,” Iori sighed, taking his tea and walking off. He went over to the couch and sat down peacefully. It was clear he wanted to be alone.

Yet Mitsuki was relentless. “Iori!” He sat down on the couch next to him. "If you're stressed about those gossip articles, please just ignore them. We all know they're full of lies. Haha! No way would my perfect little brother do something so awful like drown us in a scandal! Especially with someone like Kujou Tenn!" He boasted. Iori felt his stomach drop. He didn't say a word as his brother continued on. “Takanashi Productions is handling everything so you don't need to worry, ok?"

 

Iori still didn't respond. He couldn't bare look his brother in the eye. 

"You're concerned about Nagi, aren't you?"

Iori nearly gaged on his tea. “What?” he asked, looking at his brother in confusion. “Ahem. Nii-san. You will have to be more specific. Anyone can be concerned about Rokuya-san,” he explained. “He stays up all night watching anime and hardly gets any sleep. He screams at the top of his lungs numerous times a day, possibly damaging his vocal chords. And he flirts with women ever so constantly we’ve had to put the dormitory on lock down from fangirls before. I am _always_ concerned about Rokuya-san.”

Mitsuki frowned. “That’s not what I meant!” He snapped. He thought about that beautiful blonde man that had stolen his heart. And he felt like slamming his head into a wall.

“Ah. You’re curious to my opinion on seeing Rokuya-san on top of you when I entered the room,” Iori realized. “Well if you must know, I think it was highly inappropriate. I don’t know what you were doing but I don’t approve. I certainly hope this sort of thing doesn’t go on all day while I am at school. Especially because it was Rokuya-san.”

Mitsuki gasped. “What the hell are you talking about, Iori!?” He jumped up from the couch in rage. “W-we didn’t do anything! And nothing goes on while you’re at school! What are you saying!?” He was stunned at how casual and confident Iori was at speaking about innuendos. Little did he know his younger brother was far from being the innocent virgin he thought he was. “And what do you mean _especially Rokuya-san?”_ He mocked Iori’s voice. “What’s wrong with Nagi!?”

Iori sighed. “Please do not shout. We are indoors,” He said calmly, almost as if he were a grown adult and Mitsuki were a child. “I want to know the truth behind your relationship with Rokuya-san. Do not think I’ve missed the infinitesimal interactions between you and him recently. There’s something between you two.”

Mitsuki shuddered. “Y…you think so?”

Iori nodded. “Nii-san. You need to tell the agency immediately if you are in a relationship with him. Takanashi Productions will protect you against gossip and rumors in the media,” He ordered. “Besides, a scandal would ensure with someone like Rokuya-san. He is bad at hiding his affection, and if the truth behind your relationship were to get out in an intervi-“

“We aren’t dating!” Mitsuki suddenly screamed. It was so sudden Iori felt his heart jump. He stared at his brother in astonishment. He didn’t like when Mitsuki made that face. It was the face he made when he felt small. And everyone knew Mitsuki hated feeling small. “We… we aren’t dating, Iori. I promise. I would never, ever lie to you,” He said with honesty. “Ha…haha! You really think I could win someone like Nagi? Nagi!?” He suddenly boasted. “He’s the most handsome man in the world! And so talented… s-so good at making people smile and…making them happy!”

“Nii-san…” Iori whispered. He paused before responding. “If you aren’t dating then what’s been going on between you two?” He asked. “I’ve noticed the way you look at him. The way he hugs you. The expressions you make around him. The way his eyes sparkle when he sees you…”

“Tch. Nothing gets past you, Iori… That’s my perfectionist brother, haha!” Mitsuki laughed ironically. “But for the record, his eyes sparkle all the time.”

Iori folded his arms. “You wouldn’t know that unless you were looking at him _all the time.”_

Mitsuki was trapped. He was completely cornered by the interrogative probing of his analytical brother. Sighing, he gave in. “Alright, alright. I’ll tell you the truth, Iori,” He decided. “The truth is, I don’t know what our relationship is. Really. I don’t. But I’ll tell you this…I care about Nagi a lot. He drives me crazy each and every day. But maybe that’s what appeals to me. Nagi is special to me…But I doubt he feels the same...” He drifted off. “Y-you understand at least that much, right? You’re dating Riku. So you know what it's like caring about someone so much."

Iori swallowed at that name. Riku was the last person he wanted to talk about. “To be honest…Nanase-san and I seem to have hit a spiteful segment in our relationship. I am not sure how to mend it…”

Mitsuki blinked. He realized that was the reason Iori had been so distant. He held back a squeal, almost dying at how cute it was that his baby brother was asking for advice in his first relationship. SO CUTE! Mitsuki took a deep breath. “Tell me about it, Iori,” he said, even though his mind was going _ZAW3EDFGHJIOKJGRLKJHGGYY8IQBREOR 2B39RU2H RYV2GHIE O W9RHWIBRI V8GHINJEFH BUOKF KSIVBDIPAK DIOIPWK HIFHF;NKL B!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!._

Iori trembled. He couldn’t tell Mitsuki about the scandal. It hurt him so badly to hide something from his brother. In fact, he had never lied to Mitsuki in his life. Trying to remain calm, Iori decided to allude to the situation without explaining all the details.

“I don’t think I’m good for Nanase-san,” He suddenly stated. “I’m not the one for him. I’m selfish and fickle. Nanase-san deserves someone different. Someone perfect.”

Mitsuki rolled his eyes. “Iori, you _are_ perfect!” he exclaimed. “No one in the world is as perfect as my little brother!”

Iori looked down. Depression washed over him. “Not anymore…”

Observing his brother, Mitsuki felt his heart ache. Iori hadn’t looked this distressed since Mufest. He needed to cheer him up. “Iori, whatever happened between you and Riku is most defiantly temporary. I can’t see Riku holding a grudge about anything for more than a day or two.”

 “He has held a grudge on Kujou Tenn for years…”

“What was that?”

“Uwah! N-nevermind…” Iori nearly felt his heart jump out of his chest. He exhaled to calm down. “Nii-san. What would you do if you loved someone…b- but…you weren’t sure who that someone was?” he inquired. “How should one properly react to a racing heart if they do not know who their heart is racing for?”

Mitsuki rolled his eyes. “Iori, there’s no proper way to react to love,” He chuckled. “People just fall for each other. There’s no science behind it.”

Iori nodded. “I understand. So then what is the ratio of beats per minute of a normal person to one that is in love? How much faster is it? Where’s the line of differentiation? At what point can one be deemed ‘in love?’”

 _Slap!_ Mitsuki face palmed, his hand slapping into his forehead. For someone so smart, Iori was really dumb sometimes. “Ahaha! You’re so cute, Iori.”

“I…u-um. Excuse me?”

Mitsuki scooted closer to his brother. “Iori. The best advice I can give you is to follow your heart. No matter how fast it’s beating,” He rolled his eyes. “For once, don’t let that calculative mind guide you. Let your heart do it. I promise you’ll end up in a better place. Ok?” He smiled.

Iori melted at how cute his brother was. He had to look away in order to not become more flustered. “But what if my heart doesn’t know what it wants…?” He whispered.

“It will, Iori! It will! Jeeze, you take everything too seriously. I’m sure you and Riku just got into a tiny discrepancy. Don’t think you love him any less just because of a single issue.”

“What do you mean?”

Mitsuki put his hand on Iori’s shoulder. “I mean it’s pretty obvious you’ve been in love with Riku literally since the day you met him,” he clarified. “It doesn’t take a genius to see that. I know my little brother. And I’ve never seen him care for anyone the way he cares for Riku,” He went on. “When I found out you two were dating, I was so happy! I always knew you’d end up with a bubbly and cute person!”

Iori blushed. “I-I always wanted marry someone like Nii-san one day…”

“Iori. There’s literally no one on this planet more like me than Riku Nanase.”

“Oh my god you’re right Nii-san asdfsdfy[kjhgfdsw45tyu.”

Mitsuki suddenly laughed. A happy, cheerful laugh that could lift anyone’s spirits. And it always lifted Iori’s. The younger Izumi couldn’t help smile as he was genuinely grateful for his brother’s advice. He was about to thank Mitsuki for the kind words, but it was then when Mitsuki suddenly grabbed Iori and pulled him into a hug.

“You’re a good boy, Iori,” Mitsuki chuckled, petting Iori’s head.

“U-uwah! Nii-san!” Iori gasped. He was mortified by the sudden affection. Yet he couldn’t help but smile. “I’m embarrassed…” He blushed, snuggling into his brother. Tears nearly came to his eyes.

The two brothers shared a tender moment of affection. And honestly, it was exactly what Iori needed. He felt so much better. Like he was himself again. He was so grateful to have such a lovely brother as Mitsuki.

“Whatever happens, just know that Nii-san is proud of you, Iori!” Mitsuki cheered. “But I know you’ll end up with Riku in the end. You’re too perfect for each other. Nii-san knows best!”

“Y-yes…Nii-san knows best…” Iori nodded, scooting back a little. He hesitated before changing the subject. “Nii-san. I apologize for what I said about Rokuya-san earlier. I didn’t mean any negativity,” He stated. “I just never imagined your heart being stolen by some… loud… idiotic…disruptive… idiotic… unattentive… idiotic…”

“Ok, I get it, I get it!” Mitsuki shouted, waving his arms around in the air. “You and Nagi are like opposites. But you’re still both wonderful people! And I care about both of you!” He snapped. “You’re proper and sophisticated. And Nagi is…um…”

“Idio-“

“Iori!” Mitsuki yelled again. He sighed. “But yeah. Nagi is an idiot. But I still care about him. I hope he cares about me too…”

Iori’s expression softened. He realized how much his brother adored that blonde foreigner. All he wanted was for his brother to be happy. “Nii-san. Rokuya-san _does_ care about you. And I hope you become a couple. From the bottom of my heart…” He nodded. “I hope you live happily ever after with him as your prince.”

Mitsuki’s sunset eyes widened in utter shock. He couldn’t believe what he heard. Iori!? Approving!? Of Nagi!? JESUS CHIRST. “Iori!” Mitsuki burst out laughing. “Thank you!"

Iori turned red. “D-don’t get the wrong idea! I just want you to be happy, that’s all!” He crossed his arms and turned away.

Mitsuki dried a tear of joy. Then he smiled at his brother with the happiest expression. “I’m always happy with Nagi,” He chuckled. “Ah. I think I'll confess soon. How should I do it? How did you confess to Riku?"

Iori’s blush only darkened. “N….Nanase-san…confessed to me.”

“HE DID!?” Mitsuki gasped. “Well I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. You’re too tsundere, Iori.”

“Nii-san!”

Although he was now blushing as red as a tomato, Iori truly felt happy. He was blessed to have Mitsuki- the most amazing big brother in the world. At least that was how Iori saw him. The past few weeks had been the hardest of his life. Yet after that short talk with his brother, he felt so much better. Like the clouds had melted into the atmosphere. And he could finally see the brilliant sun. Things were looking up. And his whole world felt brighter.

 _Click_. The door suddenly opened.

“Excuse me~!” A high-pitched voice called.

Someone entered the room. And of course. It was none other than Riku Nanase. He scurried into the living area. In that moment, Iori’s bright world burst with color.

“Sorry for the intrusion! I was just looking fo-“

“Nanase-san…” Iori stood up. He stared at him with wide eyes.

“Ah!” Riku gasped, as he saw Iori. He froze. And for the longest time the two just stared at each other. Then Riku finally spoke up. “U-um! I’m just here to, uhh…” His scatterbrain forgot what he was doing. “G-get? Plant?” He noticed a plant over in the corner of the room. “Ah! No! Wait! I’m here to help Mitsuki with the cookies!” He finally remembered. “Nagi gave me one and they were really good! He said you were going to make another batch-“

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH! I forgot the cookies in the oven!!!” Mitsuki screamed. He lept up in a hurry and dashed to the kitchen.

“Nii-san!”

“It’s ok! I got it! Um! J-just keep Iori company, ok Riku!? THANKS!” Mitsuki yelled as he ran off. “GOOD LUCK GUYS!”

“EH!?” Riku gasped.

Iori sighed. “He is sounding more and more like Rokuya-san…” He whispered. Once the two were alone, he looked over to Riku. And he observed his body language. The red-haired boy looked distressed. Clenching his dainty hands into fists and desperately avoiding eye with Iori at all costs. Iori watched him for a moment. Documenting his actions. Then he spoke up.

“Nanase-san. May I please speak with you privately?”

“Eh?” Riku seemed to tense up even more. He swallowed. It had been days since he had spoken to Iori. It felt strange. Yet technically, they were still in a relationship. “Um. W-we are privately. I mean private. I MEAN ALONE!” He stammered. “What did you want to talk about?”

Iori patted the area on the couch next to him. “Please have a seat.”

Riku swallowed. Obeying, he went and sat on the couch next to Iori, careful to leave a decent amount of space between them. “What did you want to ta-!”

Without hesitation, Iori leaned over and pulled RIku into a hug. Wrapping his arms around his boyfriend, he held him in a warm embrace. And stroked his back. Ever so gently. Soothing him with affection. “I’m sorry I was gone for so long…”

Riku froze. He could hardly process what had just happened. Yet he felt himself melting. Iori’s hugs were magical. _“Iori…”_

Iori’s heart skipped a beat as that gorgeous voice whispered his name. It was music to his ears. And in that moment he knew that was the melody he wanted to hear for the rest of his life. “Nanase-san,” Iori pulled back from the hug, yet kept his hands on Riku’s shoulders. “I cannot apologize enough. I’ve been neglecting you for the past few days. I need you to know it has caused me more distress than you can imagine… I’m deeply sorry, Nanase-san.”

Riku blinked. Iori was so charming. “I-it’s ok, Iori!” He giggled, nudging Iori’s palms off his shoulders. “I know you’re busy. You probably have so much homework all the time. Sorry I’ve been, um, bothering you.”

Iori shook his head. “You haven’t been bothering me. I’m glad to have you constantly checking in on me. It makes me feel special. Like you’re truly concerned about me…” He began. “Nanase-san? There’s something I want to tell you. I’m so sorry I haven’t told you before,” He looked down. “Everything has been happening so fast. I truly, truly did not mean for everything to get out of hand as it has. I’m still just a child. I’m hardly capable of dealing with something like this…I’m sorry.”

“Ehhh~? What are you apologizing about, Iori?” Riku raised an eyebrow in confusion. He had no idea what was going on. But he loved Iori and wanted to cheer him up. “Iori, you may be a high school student, but you’re super intelligent! You could probably pass for an adult. No doubt! Because you’re so talented and clever and sincere and perf-!”

“I’m still in my youth, Nanase-san…” Iori cut him off. “And so are you.”

“Iori…”

“Listen to me,” Iori suddenly placed his hand over Riku’s. “The truth is I've done something atrocious. Appalling. Scandalous," He began. “Th-the truth. Is that I have been…I-I…I-!” He couldn’t find the words.

“Wow!” Riku gasped. “Look, Iori! I’m holding hands with you just fine!” He cheered. He interlocked his fingers with his boyfriend and held their hands up. “See!? I’m completely ok and don’t feel anxiety at all! Isn’t that amazing!? It must mean I’m getting used to being fluffy with you!”

“F-fluffy?”

“Yeah! Hey, I’m really sorry I freaked out last time you tried to touch me, Iori,” Riku apologized. “I love you. And at this rate we’ll be able to cuddle and snuggle all the time! A-And maybe even go further one day…” He turned red, glancing away. “I think the more I get use to this relationship, the less likely I’ll be to have a respiratory attack from anxiety. Soon we’ll be able to cuddle all the time! Ahh I can’t wait to cuddle Iori~!”

“Nanase-san…”

“What I’m trying to say is…thank you. Thanks for never giving up on me. And I’ll work extra hard from here on out to be the best boyfriend for Iori I can be!” Riku cheered, throwing his arms up. “Because…I love Iori…”

Iori swallowed. “Nanase-san…” He whispered, not believing his ears. God Riku’s voice was so beautiful saying those three words.

_I love Iori…_

Nothing was more amazing. Sighing, Iori reached out to pet Riku’s head. “What are you, an elementary kid?”

“EH!? Hey, I don’t sound that immature, do I!? Hey! I’m just saying I care about you!” Riku squealed.

Iori chuckled. Riku was so cute. “I know,” He said. He decided to take Riku up on the offer to cuddle and suddenly wrapped his arms around his thin waist. He pulled Riku in and hugged him tightly, nuzzling him with affection. “I care about you too Nanase-san…” He blushed. 

Riku turned red as Iori was suddenly hugging him. He felt Iori’s whisper brush past his ear. And a chill dashed down his spine. “Iori…! Y-you really mean it?” He asked.

Iori had never felt so certain in his life. He nodded, holding onto Riku protectively. “Yes,” He replied. Riku was so soft. So warm. So fragile and beautiful. Iori adored everything about him. The feel of his skin, the twinkle in his eyes, and his yummy strawberry scent. And of course- that elegantly divine voice. It was in that moment when Iori realized Mitsuki was right. No one was better for Iori than Riku.

And Iori wanted to spend the rest of his life with the boy in his arms.

Him. And no one else.

He planned to break it off with Tenn once and for all tomorrow.

Iori Izumi had made his decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO the neck chapter is gonna be the most chaotic and dramatic thing ever so BE SURE TO CATCHT THE NEXT UPDATE AW34RFVBJI8765RESXCVBJKMNBVCDE5YHNM!!!!


	9. Riku finds out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “Listen, Riku. There’s a million ways this can go right now. It can end with us explaining everything and making up. Or us explaining everything and you running off crying."

It was precisely 9:00pm when Iori decided to leave the Idolish7 dorm. He had gone through his plan in the most strategic way possible. Tonight, he planned to redeem himself and do what he should have done weeks ago.

He texted Tenn and instructed him to meet at the Zero Arena, once the sun set, and the gorgeous moon shone brightly in the sky. Iori made his way downtown before locating the Zero Arena. He slowly walked down the path, next to the edge of the water. He looked up at the moon briefly.

“Nii-san…” He whispered. He often thought of Mitsuki when he looked at the moon. “I promise I’ll make you proud…”

Speaking with his brother the other day really helped Iori clear his head. He knew what he wanted now. He wanted Riku. So he decided to break it off with Tenn. As he thought about that happy boy with ruby red eyes and that gorgeous voice, his heart fluttered. He got tangled in his thoughts of Riku and hardly noticed the figure ahead of him in the distance.

“Iori!” Tenn called, noticing Iori walking in his direction. When he saw Iori, his heart burst with ecstasy. “You’re here!” He quickly ran up to him and wrapped his arms around his waist.

“Eh?” Iori snapped out of his trance, seeing Tenn running toward him. He froze as Trigger's center suddenly hugged him. It was so sudden he could hardly react. “K…! Kujou-san…” He whispered. He couldn’t help but feel incredibly warm as Tenn touched him. The shorter male snuggled into Iori’s chest, nuzzling him with affection. Iori turned red. “Ahem…It’s good to see you…” He nervously nudged Tenn away.

Tenn let go but smiled up at Iori with dreamy eyes. “It’s good to see you too,” He stated. He sighed, gazing into Iori’s eyes longingly. “How clever of you to plan this meeting by the Zero Arena. That's my smart Iori. It’s unlikely for fans to find us here so late at night,” He observed. “This tends to be a place only idols come to sort out their feelings, yes?” He smirked, recalling the numerous times Idolish7 and Trigger had gone to this very spot in times of turmoil.

Iori felt nervousness wash over him. “Y-yes. Thank you for meeting me here, Kujou-san…” He whispered. “There’s something I wanted to talk to you about…”

“Hah? Yes, we have quite a lot to _talk_ about, don’t we?” Tenn chuckled, winking at him on the word _talk_. “Perhaps we should go to a hotel room. I can book one right now under a different name and we can-“

“No!” Iori shrieked. The last thing he wanted was to isolate himself even more with Tenn. His plan was to break up with him right now and return to the dorm before anyone even noticed he was gone. He shook his head, trying to gather his thoughts. “I…I-I…um…”

Tenn noticed how anxious Iori looked. “Iori? What’s wrong, sweetie? You seem tense… Is something bothering you?” He asked, slyly. He could tell when his little Iori was stressed. “You can tell me if something has you upset, you know. You said it yourself. I’m the only one who understands you.” He smirked.

Iori trembled at Tenn’s confidence. He looked down, desperately searching for the right words. He had rehearsed what he wanted to say so many times before arriving. Yet once he was face to face with the gorgeous Tenn Kujou, his brain shut off. Damn it, Tenn had such an effect on him! Iori began to contemplate if this was even necessary in the first place. It’s not like he was dating Tenn. Since they weren’t a couple, was it even necessary to break up? Everything was so confusing.

“Kujou-san…I want to know…” Iori bit his lip. “…Um. A-are…”

Tenn sighed. “Relax, Iori.” He stepped forwards and cupped Iori’s face in his hands. He held Iori’s cheeks tenderly in his palms, caressing his soft skin. And he smiled. That precious, angelic smile that could melt anyone’s heart. His angel persona was hard to resist for anyone. Especially Iori, who was already weak to cute things. “Poor baby. I’m sorry you’re so stressed. But look on the bright side, love. That gossip article about us is nearly out of the spotlight,” He explained. “Yaotome Productions is so powerful. The president tracked down the author of the article and took them to court behind the scenes. That photo of us has been removed from the internet. And the agency responsible is expected to be shut down in the next month. Isn’t that wonderful?”

Iori swallowed. Hard. It was difficult to focus with Tenn cupping his face. His hands felt so soft. And so good. “You mean… an entire journalism agency is getting shut down? Because of us?” He felt awful. He never wanted things to go this far. He blamed himself for everything. Yet Tenn seemed unphased, and continued to smile up at Iori with bright eyes.

“Of course. I’m a professional, after all. I have the power to do anything in the entertainment world, Iori… You should know that by now…” He slowly leaned in. “I always get what I want…”

“K-Kujou-san!” Iori gasped, suddenly getting pushed backwards. He felt his back hit the rail, and soon he was completely trapped by Tenn. “Please wait a moment!”

“Oh god, I love you, Iori…I love you so, so much, Iori…” Tenn groaned in a low, hungry tone. He held Iori’s wrists out to the side and went up on his tip toes to kiss his neck. Soon, he was drowning Iori in kisses, painting little red marks along his neck. “Nmm…”

“A-!” Iori gasped. He froze, squeezing his eyes shut as Tenn’s gentle lips began lavishing his neck. It was only a few kisses. But god, it drove him crazy. “L-let go of m-…!” He tried so hard to hold back a moan.

Tenn grazed his teeth on Iori’s neck, just the way he knew he liked it. He knew Iori’s body so well by now. He had it memorized. All of his lovely curves and sensitive spots. He pouted when Iori refused to moan for him. “Ehh? Come on, little Iori. Don’t bite your lip like that,” He commanded. He licked his hot tongue up Iori’s left ear before whispering in it. “Let me hear your voice. Call my name, Iori…”

“Nnn!” Iori whimpered, cocking his head to the side. His mind went fuzzy. Then he realized it was hopeless. The two of them had built such a deep relationship. Completely destroying such a beautiful connection wouldn’t be easy. He was trapped. He had no idea how to tell Tenn to stop.

“Kujou-san…”

“Does it feel good?”

“Y-yes…”

“Have you missed me, Iori?”

“Yes, Kujou-san…” 

Tenn chuckled as Iori seemed to relax into his body. He wrapped his arms around Iori again and hugged him. It was paradise. And Iori finally gave in as well, wrapping his arms around Tenn and returning the hug. Tenn felt so small and so cute. Iori’s weakness. The younger male held onto Trigger’s center protectively, unable to pull away.

“Do you love me, Iori?”

                Iori’s eyes went wide. His heart pounded in his chest and he knew Tenn could hear it. Humiliation washed over him. And the next thing he knew, he had hesitated for far too long.

_S-say something! Come on, Iori… tell him you want to end this. Tell him right now that you’re done meeting him discreetly and finished with this inconspicuous relationship! You love Nanase-san. You know you do. I do. I do. But…Kujou-san… Oh Kujou-san…_

                Perhaps it was how much Tenn had twisted Iori’s mind. Or perhaps it was the slow way his analytical brain began to process everything. Whatever the cause…Iori must have hesitated for a full minute as he tried to respond. Yet not a single syllable left his lips. Dead silence continued between the two. It felt like an eternity. Then, suddenly:

                “IORI!” A beautiful voice called.

                A perfectionist never made mistakes. A proper perfectionist knew how to excel in everything from the simplest tasks to the most complex ordeals. Perhaps Iori was perfect once upon a time. But not anymore. He had been so tangled in his thoughts- planning what to say to Tenn on the way to the arena- that he completely forgot to check if he was being followed.

                And as it turns out, he was indeed being followed.

                Riku came out from his hiding spot as he witnessed his beloved brother and boyfriend sharing such an intimate moment. He slowly stepped forwards, coming into the light. He held both his hands over his heart as he looked at the others, holding back tears.

                “Tenn-nii…”

                “R…Riku?”

                Words cannot describe the horror Iori felt in that moment.

Riku had finally found them.

 Ripping away from Tenn in a rabid frenzy, Iori promptly straightened his clothes before looking at his boyfriend with fright. He had never seen Riku make such a terrified expression in his life. And he himself had never worn such a fossilized mask as he did now.

                “NANASE-SAN!” He sobbed, all his worst nightmares coming true. “Th-this isn’t what it looks like!” Was all he could shout.

                Riku trembled. Yet he tried to stay strong. “I-Iori you shouldn’t wander out so late at night, all alone. You have school tomorrow, you know!” He announced, trying to force a smile. “Haha…U-Um. Hi Tenn-nii.”

                Tenn recognized that look on Riku’s face. It was the face he made when he didn’t want to burden others. The elder twin clicked his tongue in agitation. “Tch. What an utterly impractical expression…”

                Riku blinked, gazing at his twin longingly. He loved Tenn so much. Not a day went by when he didn’t dream of Tenn. Yet the Tenn he was seeing right now, hovering so desperately close to his boyfriend wasn’t one from a dream. It was one from a nightmare. And he couldn’t believe it.

                “Tenn-n-!”“

                “Nanase-san…!” Iori growled, lunging at Riku. He grabbed his boyfriend’s shoulders and shook him. “What do you think you’re doing!? Following me into the night!? That is beyond dangerous and reckless!” He scolded him. “It’s cold out! What if you got sick, or couldn’t breathe properly!? Do you even have your inhaler!?”

                “Ahh! Iori! Let me go, please Iori!” Riku sobbed.

                “Are you an idiot!?”

                “LET HIM GO, IORI!” Tenn’s stone cold voice sliced through the silence. It was so startling. So assertive. It snapped Iori out of his anger-filled trance instantly.

Expression softening, Iori relaxed. He loosened his grip on Riku’s shoulder, and soon, he was hanging his head in defeat. He never thought this day would come. “I’m sorry, Nanase-san…” Was all he could say. “I’m so…s-sorry…”

Riku pulled away from Iori, nearly tripping as he stumbled backwards a few steps. “I don’t believe this. Wh-whats going on here? Please! Why are you two hiding here like you’re up to something!? And why were you…t-touching like that? Why were you hugging?”

Iori swallowed. “Nana-“

Tenn stuck out his arm, stopping Iori from moving. Then he approached Riku himself. He stood directly in front of him, with an emotionless face. “Why won’t you look at me, Riku?” He asked.

Riku kept his eyes downward. “T…Tenn-nii…” He whispered.

“Look at me, Riku,” Tenn commanded.

“Ah!” Riku obeyed instantly. He always obeyed Tenn. Didn’t everyone? The moment he made eye contact with him, a chill ran down his spine. They were exactly the same height. Looking at Tenn was like looking into a mirror. Like he was seeing his reflection. His better, more talented, more confident reflection.

“Good boy,” Tenn stated. Then he sighed. “Take a deep breath. And breathe. This moment was bound to come eventually. Though how unfortunate for it to take place tonight…” He whispered. “I know you have questions. And I want this to go smoothly. Please breathe easy. In and out,” He begged. “The last thing I want is you having an attack, Riku.”

Iori watched. Tenn took such good care of Riku. If anything, Iori was the one who had hurt Riku and buried him in stress. But Tenn was able to calm his little brother down, and soothe him before things got out of hand. He really was an angel. Riku placed a hand over his chest and took a few deep breathes.

“Feel better?”

“Yes Tenn-nii…”

Tenn sighed with relief. “Good. Now let’s handle this properly.” He looked at Iori.

Iori shyly stepped up, joining the conversation again. “You shouldn’t have followed me, Nanase-san. Why did you do it?” He inquired.

Riku shook his head. “I was worried about you, Iori!” He exclaimed. “I heard you open your bedroom door and I watched you leave the dorm. I didn’t know what to do so I followed you! I’m sorry…”

“Don’t apologize!” Iori scolded. “You did nothing wrong! Nanase-san, you did nothing wrong!” He screamed. He couldn’t contain it anymore. He had built up such powerful emotions over this and they were finally ready to come out. “Urg! I’m the one at fault here! This is my fault! All of it! My fault!” He sobbed, having a well-deserved meltdown.

Riku watched his boyfriend break down with wide eyes. He blinked, not believing the sight before him. It wasn’t like Iori to explode like that. In fact, he hadn’t reacted like that since Mufest. “So…” Riku teared up, figuring everything out. “That gossip article was true… Iori and Tenn-nii really are dating…” He shivered.

“We aren’t dating!” Iori shrieked.

“I didn’t want you to find out like this, Riku,” Tenn stated.

“So you _are_ dating!”

                “We aren’t!”

Clenching his hands into fists, Tenn couldn’t hold back his emotions any longer either. “Don’t cry. I don’t want to see you cry,” He ordered. “I was going to tell you eventually. I swear. I never wanted to hurt you, Riku!” He exclaimed. “You’re small! And beautiful! And delicate!” He hollered, too late to realize it was the sweetest thing he had ever said to his brother. In fact, it was the sweetest thing Tenn Kujou had said to anyone ever. “Nanase Tenn is dead… But I’ll kill whoever hurts Nanase Riku…”

“Tenn-nii…” Riku felt his anxiety rise. He was swayed by his brother's words. But didn't let them distract him. “B-but you kept this a secret from me! Ahh, I can’t believe this is happening! How long as this been going on!?” He demanded to know.

“64 days,” Iori answered, instantly calculating the total. “Just over two months… Listen, Nanase-san, please listen to me,” He said. “I would never go behind your back and do something like this. It all happened by accident. It’s been one huge accident,” He explained. “It all started with a kiss.”

Riku blinked, taking everything in. His heart was pounding. And truly, he felt like he could pass out from the news. Yet he tried to stay strong. “Iori and Tenn-nii…kissed…” He whispered. He tried to imagine it. What the moment was like when the love of his life pressed his gentle lips to his brother’s. He had so many questions. When did it happen? Where? And why? What lead up to it? AND WHY!? His head was spinning and he could hardly take it. Iori noticed how stressed Riku looked. He slowly reached out to ask if he wanted to sit down. Yet Riku spoke up before he could…Asking the unlikeliest of questions:

“D-did you like it, Iori? Kissing Tenn-nii? Was it...good?"

Iori’s face turned pale at Riku’s inquiry. Now was the time to come clean about everything. He didn’t want to lie anymore. Yet he wasn’t prepared at all for such a question. He blushed, in that adorable way only Iori could. Then he slowly opened his mouth to answer. “I did,” He replied. “It was my first kiss. It was with Kujou-san. And it was exhilarating,” He stated, honestly. “But soon after, you confessed to me under that Sakura tree! And I realized I wanted to be with you. Please know the order of events!”

Riku bit his lip. “So then you only kissed once! Right!?” He demanded.

No one replied.

“G-guys?”

Iori and Tenn merely looked in opposite directions. Gazing off into the distance.

“GUYS!”

They avoided Riku at all costs. Riku puffed his cheeks. Seeing Iori and Tenn next to each other like that made his heart crumble. Somehow, just standing there, his brother and boyfriend looked so perfect together. Perhaps that was what hurt the most. They really did look like a couple.

“I’m sorry, Nanase-san…” Iori whispered, still looking away. “It wasn’t just a kiss. It escalated. Into so much more…” He explained. “I never meant for things to build as they did! All along I was so confused and lost! Having to balance this scandal on top of being an idol, on top of school work, and… having to be perfect! These have been the hardest weeks of my life!”

“That’s youth for you…” Tenn whispered.

“What do you mean things built up!? You mean there’s more!? Besides a kiss!?” Riku begged. There was another silence. Tears came to Riku’s eyes. “Please answer me…” He pleaded. "I'll do anything..."

                Tenn growled. “Listen, Riku. There’s a million ways this can go right now. It can end with us explaining everything and making up. Or us explaining everything and you running off crying. So tell me. Will you be mature and handle this like an adult? Or will you continue to pointlessly shout nonsense, intensifying everyone’s emotions until we are all shouting things we don’t mean?”

Riku swallowed. Tenn was so brave. So smart and so composed. He was a lot like Iori, in that way. Riku wished he could be like that sometimes. He wished he could be a person that complimented Iori, rather than being his opposite. He wished he could be Tenn. “I’ll be good. I promise. I’m sorry…”  

“Good. Now then. Ask us a question,” Tenn ordered.

“Ah! R-right! Um…” Riku looked down. Though when the time came, his scattered brain had no idea what to say. “A-are Iori and I still a couple?”

“Yes,” Iori answered.

“A-and… is Tenn-nii ok with that?”

“I want you to be happy, Riku,” Tenn replied.

Riku bit his lip. Those weren’t the questions he wanted to ask. Damn it, why was he so scared!? He needed the truth! Gathering his courage, he stepped forwards and blurted what was really on his mind: “How much of that article was real!?”

After exchanging a quick glance, Tenn and Iori proceeded to explain themselves.

“It was one hundred p-percent true…” Iori whispered. He was so ashamed to have the truth fall from his lips. He briefly looked up at the moon. He wondered what Mitsuki was doing now. He wondered if he had spoken to Nagi. Perhaps the two were together now. Perhaps the two were _together_ now. If only his big brother could see him now… he’d be so disappointed…

“Th-that can’t be right!” Riku sobbed. He never saw Iori as a person to do the atrocious things stated in that article. “That was just a gossip column written by bloodthirsty journalists! You said so yourself, Iori! You said so to everyone and manager too!” He exclaimed. He gazed at Iori for a moment. Then he melted. Iori looked so regretful. Like he was drowning in regret. Riku felt the pain as well. This was the hardest truth he had ever had to face. “That article was dirty. It said you had a secret relationship! Meeting each other discreetly. Hiding from the agencies. Getting together behind everyone’s backs to…t-to...”

“We had sex,” Tenn suddenly interrupted. He held nothing back. He looked his brother right in the eyes and announced the truth. “I’ll only say this once. So listen up, Riku.” He stomped up to his brother. “I’ll say it as delicately as possible… I’ve slept with Iori Izumi countless times. Too many to determine. Each and every time has only been more passionate. Ravishing each other in dressing rooms, hotel rooms, and even in the house where Re:vale hosted their album party. I’m addicted to him. And he’s infatuated with me,” He explained. “That is the truth, Riku. That is the absolute truth.”

Riku felt like the world had stopped turning. Horrified, he grabbed his forehead in agony. Every part of him wanted to reject this as reality. Yet the longer he gazed into his twin’s eyes, the more he realized he couldn’t wake up from this nightmare. “WAIT! R-Re:vale’s party!? B-but…! Th-that was the night I told everyone Iori and I were a couple!” He recalled. “You slept together… while I was in the building? While everyone was in the building?” He sobbed. “So… Iori _did_ cheat on me!”

“I’D NEVER CHEAT ON YOU, NANASE-SAN!”

“Oh my god! Oh god!” Riku started hyperventilating. He held his chest and gasped for air. “This can’t be happening! Iori cheated on me with Tenn-nii!”

“Nanase-san, stop that! Take a deep breath!”

“I c-can’t, ah! Haah! A-ah!”

“It was never my intention to cheat on anyone!”

“But you _did_ , Iori!”

“It was never my intention to hurt you!”

“But you _are_ , Iori!”

Riku breathed heavily, unable to handle the situation. He physically had to close his eyes and cover his face to shake the image of Iori from his mind. Yet he couldn’t. All he could think about was that perfect boy with raven hair that he loved so much. Yet those once sweet silver eyes began to repulse him. 

“You betrayed me, Iori!” Riku screamed, looking back up with tears in his eyes. Rivers flowed down his cheeks as he screeched out his emotions, soiling that gorgeous voice of his. Iori had never heard that beautiful voice so strained. “B-both of you did! I don’t understand… Why would you two do this!? You’re the two most precious people to me in the whole world! Was this some sort of g-game? A-ach! Please at least tell me why you did- A-AACK!” He coughed. “Ah!”

“NANASE-SAN!” Iori screamed, hardly able to see through his tears.

“IT’S BETRAYAL!” Riku declared. “That’s it! Th-that’s all I’ve ever known! Betrayal!”

“D-don’t say that word…” Tenn suddenly spoke up. He tried to remain composed and squeezed his hands into fists at his sides. "Don't you dare say that word, Riku..."

“But it’s true!” Riku cried, looking at his twin. “Everyone always leaves me! I don’t care if I’ll regret saying this…” He rambled. “But you abandoned me when we were kids, Tenn-nii! And now you’re abandoning me again! Oh god, it hurts to bad!” He cried into his hands. “Why is it always like this!? Why can’t we just be a family!? Tenn-nii… Why do you always betray me!?”

Tenn shot a sharp glare at Riku. "I said… DON’T SAY THAT WORD!” He screamed, losing all senses. He lunged at Riku.

“Kujou-san, DON’T!” Iori screamed, running to stop Tenn. He looped his arms around Tenn from behind and pulled him backwards. “Stop! You said it yourself! We shouldn’t let our emotions control us right now and make us do things we’ll regret!” He sobbed, struggling to keep Tenn in his grip.

“Urg! Get your hands off me! Let me go! Let me go!” Tenn fidgeted in Iori’s arms. “He needs to know the truth right now! The whole story!”

“I don’t want to know the whole story! I’ve heard enough!” Riku covered his ears.

“NO! You don't know anything! EVERYTHING I’VE EVER DONE HAS BEEN FOR YOU!” Tenn sobbed. “Hear me out! You’ve been begging me to explain everything since Idolish7 debuted! Listen and I’ll finally tell you why I left-!”

 _“I HATE YOU TENN-NII!_ ” Riku suddenly screamed at the top of his lungs.

His voice vibrated through the area. It was so startling, it snapped Tenn out of his anger instantly. Yet as his heated emotions faded, they weren’t replaced with sadness. Instead, he felt empty. No pain. No joy. Tenn often wore an emotionless face in front of others. But in that moment, he was truly incapable of feeling anything.

He had been broken.

“K-…Kujou-san?” Iori felt Tenn’s body go limp in his arms. He turned him around and looked into his face with worry. “Kujou-san. Are you ok? Please say something,” He begged. He felt Tenn’s forehead, brushing his bangs aside with care. “Kujou-san, please snap out of it…I’m here, I’m here…” He hugged him tightly. “Relax. I’ve got you. You’re safe in my arms…” He stroked his back lovingly. “I am here for you…”

Riku stared at them in shock. The way Iori hugged his brother was so sweet, so soft and perfect. Iori never treated anyone like that. Not even him. He made eye contact with his twin over Iori’s shoulder. And he trembled.

Yet Tenn still didn’t react. He was frozen in time, unable to ignore the words that rang through his mind over and over…. Those four fraagile words that deemed every choice in life he had ever made worthless.

_I hate you, Tenn-nii…_

_I hate you, Tenn-nii…_

_I hate you, Tenn-nii…_

Tenn twitched. His world was crumbling. He had no other choice but to rebuild his confidence the only way he knew how. By manipulating people. Controlling others. And using his body to get what he wanted.

“Thank you, Iori…” Tenn whispered in a tiny, desperate voice. He finally moved, shifting in Iori’s arms to hug him back. “I love you so much, Iori…” He went up on his tip toes. Cupped Iori's face in his hands. 

And kissed him.

Iori’s silver eyes went wide. He wasn’t prepared for that at all. Yet the next thing he knew, he was melting into another one of those angelic kisses. So sweet and so soft. So perfect. His mind went blank and he nearly forgot the entire situation. He had been trained to obey Tenn. Crave him. Please him. He couldn’t stop once he started. His eyes closed. He relaxed into the kiss. And pulled the boy in closer.

Riku couldn’t do anything. All he could do was watch as his two favorite people on earth betrayed him. Seeing them kiss felt so surreal. It made his tummy twist in knots. Yet perhaps it wasn’t because it looked wrong. Perhaps it was because it looked _all too perfect._

At least that was how Riku saw it. Two perfectionists in love. Destined to be together. Star crossed lovers on opposite teams. Yet because they were both smart, they had successfully nurtured their love for 64 days without anyone finding out. They were so perfect for each other. And Riku was the one ruining it.

Unable to experience the torture any longer, Riku quickly turned on his heels. He faced the other way, absolutely repulsed. He felt as though he would pass out at any moment. He needed to get back home to his inhaler and quick. He couldn’t stand to be around Iori or Tenn any longer. He trembled, desperately thinking of something to say. He quickly glanced back at them.

Yet the two were still fixated on their liplock. Clinging to each other. Tenn’s arms loop around Iori’s neck. And Iori’s palms on Tenn’s waist. It looked so passionate. So adoring. So _perfect_.

Riku violently shook his head before turning back around. Then he ran off in the opposite direction, back where he came. He ran and ran, as fast as his legs could carry him. Tears blinded him. Yet he sustained to sprint down the path. It hurt when Tenn left him when they were kids. And it hurt every day when Iori scolded him, constantly calling him a fool to discipline him. But nothing hurt like the pain he felt in that moment on his way home. He had been betrayed in the ultimate way. By the two people he loved most in the entire world.

Iori and Tenn had betrayed him.

And now he was abandoned yet again.


	10. Iori's superstar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “You despise me, don’t you? Well I promise you don’t resent me as much as I resent myself."

“Good morning, everyone! Welcome to another episode of the Mezzo radio show! As always, I’m Osaka Sogo…” Sogo smiled. He waited for his partner to continue off of him. But instead, there was silence. He elbowed Tamaki, waking him up.

“Gahh! A-and I’m Yotsuba Tamaki!” Tamaki gasped, waking up in a startle.

Sogo sighed. Yet he moved his microphone closer to himself and continued. “Thank you for joining us today. We hope everyone is having a good week so far. As our returning listeners may know, today is a very special episode! Why? Because we have Izumi Iori and Nanase Riku here with us! Please welcome them!”

Iori swallowed. He had never spoken on the radio before, and it seemed to be quite the difficult task. He would have to entertain an audience without being able to see them. Without using the skill of observation, it would be difficult to analyze everything. What a difficult job for an analytical boy.

 “Thank you for having us. We look forward to today,” Iori spoke. He glanced over at Riku.

Yet Riku didn’t dare make eye contact with Iori. He had avoided him ever since yesterday, purposely staying away from him at every chance. However, he couldn’t escape the radio interview with him. It would look bad for Idolish7. Yet Riku still had no intention of speaking directly to Iori. Instead, he continued to slump over in his seat, his headphones nearly falling off his head. He stared at the floor, like he was lost in space.

Sogo watched him and grew worried. “U-Um-“

“RIKKUN. WAKEY WAKEY!” Tamaki suddenly called, nudging Riku like Sogo had nudged him. But Tamaki had no god damn self-control and ended up doing it a bit too hard, unintentionally.

“Tamaki-kun!” Sogo gasped.

“Ah!” Riku yelped as he was elbowed. He snapped out of his trance and leaned into his microphone. “Sorry. Nanase Riku. Thanks for having me…”

Iori studied Riku. He could deduct from his posture and low tone that he was distressed. And he didn’t have to wonder why. Riku had been a mess since finding out the truth about him and Tenn. The last thing Iori ever wanted was to hurt Riku. He didn’t mean for that night to end the way it did. And most of all, he didn’t want to lose Riku’s affection. Yet at this point he truly had no idea if they were still in a relationship. And he was too afraid to ask.

Sogo spoke back up. “Ah. Haha. Yes, thank you for joining us today. Tamaki-kun and I have a few talking points we’d like to discuss with you both. Let’s see…” He looked down at his notes. “Tamaki-kun, where are your notes!?” He whisper-shouted, leaning away from his microphone for a moment.

“Eh? I thought we were sharing~” Tamaki slurred, lazily.

Sogo face-palmed. “No. I wrote out three pages of notes for you last night. I stayed up until two in the morning! Did you forget them at the dorm?” He whispered.

“Sharing is caring, So-chan~” Tamaki shrugged.

Sogo sighed, trying not to lose his shit on the radio. But his face said it all. Perhaps that was something good about the radio. You could show your true demeanor, body language, and facial expressions. The only thing you needed to utilize was your voice. Iori thought that sounded easy enough, especially for idols who were adored for their voices anyway. And especially for someone like Riku, who could brighten the world with his gorgeous voice alone. Yet that voice was anything but enthusiastic today. Iori swallowed. He had no idea how to redirect suspicion.

“Ok then, I’ll go first!” Sogo cheered for the audience. But he quickly leaned back over to Tamaki and discreetly whispered to him. “No pudding tonight.”

“GRAAAAHHH!” Tamaki complained.

“Ahaha! Don’t worry, Tamaki-kun, you can go after me~!” Sogo tried to play off Tamaki’s scream like it was for the show. “So. Iori. Riku. What does life look like for you two right now? We’ve come a long way since Black or White. And we’ve grown so much as a group. How have you seen Idolish7 mature in this last year?” He inquired.

“Oh my god that’s like, 9000 questions in one, So-chan,” Tamaki complained.

“Hush, Tamaki-kun.”

Iori looked over at Riku. He waited for him to answer. But he just continued to sit with his arms crossed, staring at the floor. Nervously, Iori leaned in to answer. “I-it’s been great. As you said, Osaka-san, Idolish7 has come so far. And not a day goes by where we don’t learn and grow as idols,” He responded. “From singing rehearsals, dance practices, to doing services to fans like this radio show… Idolish7 works hard every day to become the best group we can be.”

Sogo smiled across the table at Iori, glad he finally had someone to have a decent conversation with. But the two of them couldn’t just steal the show. People would surely get suspicious if Riku didn’t chime in.

 “I agree with Iorin~” Tamaki declared. “Just yesterday I worked super hard on new dance steps. Like, super hard. Like, multiple hours,” He rambled. “It was worth it though because Yama-san patted my head afterwards and said I was a good boy.”

Sogo blinked. “Uh. Ok? Th-thanks, Tamaki-kun. But remember these questions are for Iori and Riku,” He said awkwardly.

Tamaki glared at his partner. “Well jeeze, So-chan! You yell at me when I don’t talk and now you’re yelling at me for talking! Can you please make up your mind and not confuse me like this!?” He exclaimed, loud enough for the microphone to pick it up.

“Ah! Haha!” Sogo fake laughed nervously. “Very funny, Tamaki-kun. Let’s see if Iori and Riku agree.”

“Agree with what, So-chan!? I didn’t say-!”

“Next question!” Sogo referred to his notes. God bless Sogo Osaka. “Are there any songs or artists in particular that have influenced you? If so, who and how?”

“Oh my god that was literally three questions in one, So-chan.”

Iori waited for Riku again. He knew it would look bad if he pounced on every question. The last thing he needed was the fans getting suspicious and digging into the scandal. Yet he had no choice but to steal the question again. “I know Nii-san has been inspired by the legendary Idol Zero. It would be a lie to say he hasn’t influenced me as well. I didn’t grow up listening to his music as much as Nii-san, since I was younger… But his legend still stands today. He has greatly impacted Idolish7 as a whole.”

Sogo nodded. “That’s absolutely right, Iori! Zero’s music is immortal and will go on to inspire new generations of artists forever!” He cheered. “Come to think of it, Riku grew up as a fan of Zero’s as well. Right? What do you like about Zero, Riku?”

Iori felt his stomach twist in knots. He had been afraid for Sogo to point a question at Riku alone. Now there was nothing he could do but sit and pray nothing would come off as suspicious. He squeezed his hands in his lap, looking at Riku with fear.

Yet the red-haired boy still didn’t flinch. He just sat in his chair, lifelessly, as though the world were spinning around him and he remained frozen in time. Sogo and Tamaki waited for Riku to speak. In fact, both of them found themselves leaning in with anticipation. Yet Riku still didn’t react. It worried Sogo. And frightened Tamaki.

“P-Perhaps I should rephrase the question…” Sogo suggested.

“Rikkun~ Are you falling asleep again?” Tamaki called. He reached across the table, bumping one of the microphones. It caused a screech, but he didn’t care. He leaned across the table and poked Riku’s cheek with his index finger. “Poke.”

“Tamaki-kun!” Sogo gasped, shocked.

Finally, Riku reacted. Yet it wasn’t with his normal attitude at all. Instead, he slowly rolled his head upward. And looked at Tamaki. He had a depressed, broken look on his face. He looked as though he hadn’t slept in days and was ready to break down crying any moment. Thank god this was radio. All he had to do was manifest his cheerful voice to sell a fabricated cheerfulness. Yet Riku was far too weak and broken to even do that. He cleared his throat awkwardly before speaking up in a small, shaky voice.

“I’m sorry,” He whispered. “C…C-can you repeat the question?”

Sogo bit his lip. His motherly instincts urged him to shove everything aside and ask if Riku was ok. Yet for the time being, he couldn’t. He had to force more questions on the poor boy, at least until their radio time slot was up. He didn’t want to. But he had no other choice. “Let’s pick a different question!” He decided, shuffling his papers. “Um. Let’s see. Ah! Besides, Zero, what other idols have inspired you? Modern idols you can meet today.”

Riku didn’t answer. He shuffled his feet under the table. Iori wished he could grab him in that moment. Grab him and scold him. But also grab him and comfort him. “Come on Nanase-san…please…” He whispered.

Yet a gut-wrenching silence continued until Sogo was forced to continue, “Veteran idol duo Re:vale has surely influenced us. Momo-san and Yuki-san are amazing. Right? They are like senpais to us.”

There was no reply. Iori and Riku looked off into opposite directions, both crossing their arms. And voiding each other at all costs. Tamaki hadn’t been paying attention. But he noticed how long the sudden silence was, and he looked back to the group.

“Oi. Iorin, Rikkun, So-chan is talkin to ya,” He informed. Then he said something terrible. Something only Tamaki would say because he never fricken paid attention. “Did you two break up or something?”

“UWAAHH!” Iori instantly looked up in horror. Face turning red, he couldn’t believe Tamaki had just said that over the radio. He glared at him from across the table. “Yotsuba-sa-!”

“TAMAKI-KUN!!” Sogo yelped. He yanked Tamaki’s microphone away from him. “I-I’m afraid we’ll have to cut to a quick commercial break. Haha. U-um! We’ll be right back with more-!”

“Kujou Tenn,” Riku suddenly spoke up. It was such a quiet, dull voice. Yet all three boys turned to look at him.

“H-huh?” Sogo blinked. “What was that, Riku?”

“Kujou Tenn…” Riku repeated. “Trigger’s Kujou Tenn. He’s inspired me. In so many ways. As an idol…and as a person…” He clenched his hands into fists. He whispered his name one more time, in a weak, crumbling voice. “K-Kujou Tenn…”

Iori was terrified and his heart was pounding. He wanted to interrupt and urge the commercial break on. However he found himself just staring at Riku. Staring and staring. He hated himself for not being able to speak up in that moment.

“How has Tenten inspired you, Rikkun? Like, give an example,” Tamaki requested. He smirked over at Sogo. “See I’m helping~”

Riku shifted in his chair. “Tenn-n-…Kujou Tenn is the idol of the century. He’ll surely be the one to surpass Zero one day. Him. And no one else…” He muttered. He suddenly started shaking. Trembling as if he were a bomb about to explode. He couldn’t hold back his emotions much longer. “Kujou Tenn is the best dancer. The best singer. He’s a modern day angel! A real angel! He is… PERFECT!” He suddenly yelled. Hyperventilating, he clenched his chest and began to breathe rapidly. “No wonder he’s beloved so much! He deserves it! I mean it from the bottom of my heart- he really does! If anyone deserves that love…” He suddenly looked to the side. He finally made eye contact with Iori, locking him in a fierce stare. He had bags under his eyes and resembled an exhausted zombie for all that matter. Yet he was still that precious little Riku Iori was so weak to. “If anyone deserves your love…” He repeated. “It’s Kujou Tenn.”

 _SCREEECH!_ Riku bumped his microphone aggressively as he stood up from his seat. Without another word, he marched over to the door and exited the studio. The door slammed behind him. The remaining three boys were left in silence.

And the silence continued for far too long. Until eventually Sogo snapped out of his shock and returned to the audience. “Th-that’s right! Trigger continues to inspire people around the world! Even us!” He exclaimed. “We’ll be right back after this commercial break. Thank you!” He waved to a producer outside of the booth. The man on the other side of the glass typed something in the audio board and then gave Sogo a thumbs up.

“Ahhh~” Sogo sighed with relief, taking his headphones off. “We’re on a commercial. We can talk freely now,” He stated. He looked at Iori. “What on earth was that about?”

“UWAAH! Did something happen between you and Rikkun, Iorin!? What? What did? What happened?” Tamaki begged.

Sogo sighed. “Now who’s weaving multiple questions in one?” He growled.

Tamaki stood up. "You can talk to us if something's wrong, Iorin," He offered. "So-chan and I may argue a lot. In fact, we're probably the worst people to ask about relationship advice, but we'll do anything to help you and Rikkun."

"Tamaki-kun..." Sogo's eyes sparkled. He blushed, looking away. "That was sweet of you..."

Tamaki looked at Sogo. He smiled before looking back at Iori. "You and I are more alike than you'd think, Iorin. I can help you."

"You and I? Now's not the time for jokes, Yotsuba-san."

"I'm serious!" Tamaki called. "We're both young! And we both fight with the people we love! Because we're stupid! And we don't understand anything!" He shouted. "Because... we're young."

Iori growled. "I am nothing like you," He stated, rising from his seat. "I am Iori Izumi. Idolish7’s Iori Izumi. And I can mend any issue… I’ll speak with Nanase-san. I apologize.” He walked over to the door. “Please excuse me.” And with that, he exited the studio. And went down the hall in search of Riku.

"Iorin!" Tamaki shouted. 

"Let him go," Sogo instructed. He sighed, looking back down. "I'm sorry we fight so much, Tamaki-kun. You sounded responcible just now. I'm proud of you."

Tamaki blinked at Sogo. Then he smiled. "You're proud of me? Haha. Cool." He sat back down in his seat, slouching. "That makes me happy."

Sogo couldn't help but smile. He watched his partner for a moment before blushing and glancing away. "You make me happy too, Tamaki-kun."

**_ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _ **

It took a while. But Iori finally located Riku hiding in the men’s restroom. “There you are. Nanase-san!” He gasped. He took a moment to catch his breath. “Nanase-san, I’ve been searching for you everywhere! It was very unprofessional to run off in the middle of the show. Please come back immediately a-!”

“That’s because I’m not a professional…” Riku suddenly spoke up. He was staring into the mirror above the sink. He gazed deeply into his reflection, seeing the image of someone he didn’t want to see. “I’m not like Tenn-nii…”

Iori clenched his hands into fists. Turning red, he stomped up to Riku and grabbed his shoulders. “Please stop comparing yourself to your brother!” He begged, gazing into Riku’s eyes. “Nothing good can come of comparing yourself to your brother! I should know- I am a brother too…” He drifted off for a moment. “We can discuss this later. Right now we need to return to the studio and finish the radio-“

“Is that all you care about, Iori!? Maintaining the image of Idolish7!?” Riku suddenly yelped, yanking away from Iori’s grasp. He looked at him in depression. “Then why didn’t you think of that when you…! Ah!” He covered his face in agony. “I can’t even say it. Oh god, I can’t even say it out loud!” He sobbed. He removed his hands and glared at Iori, fearlessly. “Why didn’t you think of that when you went behind my back and cheated on me with Tenn-nii?”

Iori was trapped. Frightened, he quickly looked to the high corners in the room. “There could be cameras in here. We must be careful,” He realized. “Come here.” He grabbed Riku’s hand and yanked him into bathroom stall. He locked them inside so they could converse freely. “We should be safe in here.”

“Ah!” Riku stumbled after Iori. The stall was tiny and cramped. He was embarrassed to be in such a position with Iori. He pouted, puffing his cheeks. “Please listen to me, Iori. This is so… unlike you. You’re a good boy, Iori. You go to school. You study hard. You never get into trouble and you always put others above yourself! I just don’t understand how someone like you is even capable of something like this!” he yelled. “You’ve changed, Iori…”

“Nothing has changed!” Iori growled. He violently grabbed Riku and pinned him to the wall with ease. He loomed over him, silver eyes flickering with sternness. “Nothing has changed. Not me. And not you. Nanase-san. Are you forgetting?” He suddenly leaned in to Riku’s ear. _“I promised I’d make you into a super star…”_

“Ah!” Riku gasped, hearing those familiar words. His heart suddenly skipped a beat and he weakened at Iori’s sensual whisper. “I-Iori…” He groaned, looking off to the side. “Not here…please…”

“Look at me, Nanase-san,” Iori begged, grabbing Riku’s chin and forcing him to make eye contact. He gazed deeply into those wet, crimson eyes. Riku was adorable when he was crying. Iori melted. “Cute…”

Riku turned red. He shivered in Iori’s grasp. “Oh, Iori…” He squealed softly. He almost sounded like Tenn.

Iori leaned in to Riku’s neck again and spoke smoothly into his ear. “For just a moment, I want you to forget the past. Forget yesterday. And forget every day before that. All that matters right now is this moment. You and I. And our future together…” He whispered in his ear. “Alright?”

Riku squeezed his eyes shut. He felt like crying all over again. But Iori’s smooth voice was slowly getting to him. He nodded, obediently. “Yes Iori…” He whimpered, desperately.

God, Riku was so easy. Too easy. He was quite the opposite of Tenn- who teased Iori mercilessly and made him work for any intimacy. Riku was so different. He submitted so easily, giving in at just the simple sound of Iori’s dominant voice. He didn’t move an inch as Iori suddenly tucked a strand of his hair behind his ear.

“Allow me to be your pointer, Nanase-san,” Iori urged. “Focus on me and no one else. Allow me to guide you. Lead you…” He begged. “You have it in you to be the most amazing idol the world has ever seen. I promised I would help you achieve that and I have no intention of going back on that promise… _My super star.”_

                “Ah…!” Riku groaned softy. He squeezed his eyes shut as Iori’s lips grazed past his earlobe. He had no experience with being touched in such a way and hardly knew how to react. He was so unlike Tenn. “Everything j-just hurts so bad…” He whimpered, tears coming to his eyes again.

                “What hurts?” Iori urged, drying Riku’s tears with his sleeve. “Tell me in your own words.”

                “W-wah. Ah!” Riku sobbed. He found himself melting for Iori. There were a million things he could have said to him in that moment:

                _You’re hurting me, Iori_

_I hate you, Iori_

_I never want to see you again_

                However, that wasn’t truly how Riku felt. Desperately, he clenched onto Iori’s arms and pulled him in closer. Then, in the most precious voice, he whispered:

                “I-I don’t want to lose you, Iori!”

                Iori was spellbound. He quickly grabbed Riku and hugged him tightly, wrapping his arms around Riku’s delicate waist. “You won’t lose me, Nanase-san…” He hushed him gently. He pet Riku’s cherry red hair gently. “You want to be my super star, do you not?”

                Riku cried into Iori’s chest, staining his clothing with warm tears. “Y-yes!” He sobbed.

                “Then say it. Out loud,” Iori urged. “Nothing is changing between you and I, Nanase-san. You’re the one I made a promise to. I implore you… tell me what you want.”

                Riku whimpered. His tiny hands trembled as he clenched onto Iori. Then he slowly looked up. He finally made eye contact with those precious wet eyes. “Please, Iori!” He cried. “Make me into a super star! CONTROL ME!”

                Iori nodded with approval as Riku finally gave in. He didn’t hesitate to begin pressing kisses on Riku’s neck right then and there. He painted Riku’s skin like a canvas, covering his pure body in little red marks and lovebites. He sucked on his neck. Twirling his tongue around in hot circles. Then he nibbled on his ear, sending jolts of pleasure down his spine.

                It was obvious Riku was a virgin. He cried more and desperately wrapped his arms around Iori’s neck. It almost felt like he could be lifted up in Iori’s arms at any moment, and have his clothes ripped off. And get fucked senseless in that bathroom stall. Yet he just continued to moan as Iori ran his hot tongue up his neck.

                “Nn…! Ahh, Io-…Iori!” He sobbed.

                “You know, Nanase-san…” Iori suddenly titled Riku’s chin upward again. “We’ve still never had our first kiss.”

                Riku blinked. For a moment his eyes sparkled, like he was excited. Like he was enamored with the idea Iori was proposing. But then he gasped. And he yanked away from Iori violently. “N-NO!” He screamed. “Oh god it’s happening again! You’re really controlling me!!” He grabbed his head, as if in pain. “No! No! No!”

                Iori was shocked at Riku’s sudden outburst. “Nanase-san, please calm down. Why are you-?”

                Riku covered his mouth like he was about to get sick. He had to take a few deep breathes to calm down before glaring back at Iori. “I won’t allow for our first kiss to happen here. Not here! Not now!” He yelled. “First kisses are meant to be special! I don’t want the memory of my first kiss with Iori being crammed in a bathroom stall as he tries to convince me he didn’t cheat on me with my brother!”

                Iori swallowed. He realized how terrible that truly sounded. “Nanase-san, I’m not trying to convince you of anything!” He snapped. “You have every right to be infuriated with me! Nanase-san, remorse is all I feel!”

                “You’re lying!” Riku sobbed. “Iori! Neither of you have even said sorry yet!” He screamed. He wiped his tears, looking off to the side with a flustered face. “Neither you or Tenn-nii have even apologized yet…Y-you both just keep making excuse of how I’m too innocent to understand, or I’m too stupid to understand! Well I understand enough! And I understand neither of you are truly sorry!”

                Iori slammed his fist above Riku’s head on the wall. “How dare you insinuate that! You are not stupid, Nanase-san! I’ve never thought that!”

                “You call me an Idiot every day, Iori!” Riku exclaimed.

                Iori bit his lip. He couldn’t deny that Riku was correct. But he never meant it that way. “Nanase-san…” He whispered. “Th-there’s… no words for how terrible I feel. I never wanted to kiss Kujou-san. All along I wanted to kiss you! But we still haven’t taken that step… and now you sound like you never want to take it…” He realized. “You despise me, don’t you? Well I promise you don’t resent me as much as I resent myself. Nanase-san, I beg you…” He pleaded, hanging his head in mercy. “Forgive me…”  

                Riku stared at Iori. Yet he wasn’t swayed at all by his words. “YOU STILL HAVEN’T SAID SORRY!” He yelled. “IORI!” He screamed, pushing Iori away as hard as he could.

                “Ah!” Iori gasped, stumbling back into the other wall. He was disoriented for a moment and couldn’t stop Riku from slamming open the stall door and escaping. “NANASE-SAN!”

                “I don’t want to be your star anymore, Iori! I don’t want to be your star…” Riku shivered. “I’m sorry but I can’t even look you in the eyes anymore.”

                Iori stepped out of the bathroom stall. He held his hands over his heart and looked at Riku with fright. “What are you saying?”

                “I’m saying we’re over!” Riku called. “I want nothing to do with you, Iori! And I want nothing to do with…Idolish7!”

                Iori’s eyes suddenly widened. It was one thing if Riku despised him. It was another if he suddenly despised being an idol altogether. “You cannot be serious. I know you’re hurt but there’s no way the Nanase-san I know would ever leave Idolish7. You love Idolish7. You love our fans, our music, our bonds! My Nanase-san would never-!”

                “I AM NOT YOURS, IORI!” Riku screamed. He breathed heavily, trying to collect himself. He was capable enough to handle not having an attack. But not capable enough to look his ex-boyfriend in the eyes. “I love Idolish7. But I don’t love you. Everything is a mess right now and I feel like I’m drowning. I need time, I need time…” He quivered. “Just please…p-promise me something,” He begged.

“I’ll do anything for you, Nanase-san! Anything!” Iori called.

Riku turned away. “Promise me you’ll stay away from me for a little bit. I think if I see you again I’ll break down crying. I don’t want the other members to know about any of this…So please,” He begged. “Promise to stay away from me, Iori.”

                Iori swallowed. Tears wielded up in his eyes, as he watched the love of his life reject him. Iori wasn’t strong by any means. He wanted to cry as much as Riku in that moment. He didn’t have it in him to yell anymore. He was no longer capable of arguing about anything. Instead, he merely nodded, wishing he could run home and cuddle his Roppu-chan plushie. “I promise…” He whispered, voice shaking. “I-I promise, Nanase-san. I’ll leave you alone…I p-promise…” It was the hardest thing he ever had to say. 

                Riku took a deep breath. He felt relieved. Not sad or even regretful. He felt relieved to have finally ended it with Iori. After accepting he would never get a proper apology, he turned on his heels and walked to the door. He exited the bathroom, leaving Iori once and for all.

                "Goodbye Iori."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO drama drama drama!!!  
> Don't worry yall, this story is far from over! I hope you're enjoying it so far!  
> Iori is so soft and tsundere and has no idea how to handle what's going on XD  
> He's far too young to understand and that's kind of the main idea of this story!
> 
> I'll try to update again soon~ The flow of this story is very important to me lololololol. THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT!


	11. Silver eyes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “If you so much as touch Tenn, or even look at him the wrong way, you’ll have to answer to me. Got it?”

                Iori had no other place to go. So when Tenn invited him to Yaotome Productions, he hastily accepted. After getting past the front desk, Iori entered the elevator, hoping to meet Tenn on the top floor. Yet suddenly:

 _THUD!_ A man suddenly caught the door, just in time before it closed. “Damn. That was close,” A familiar voice bellowed. Iori looked up to see another person stepping into the elevator with him. And his eyes widened as he saw who it was.

                “Yaotome Gaku!?” He gasped, in utter shock. He turned red, fear consuming him. “Y-Yaotome-san…” He quickly corrected himself.

                The elevator door closed, confining the two boys inside. A moment of silence passed. Then Gaku slowly turned and looked at Iori. “Idolish7’s…Izumi ototo?” He asked in confusion.

                Iori blushed at that name but tried to remain calm. “Y-Yes. Please excuse me…” He tried to turn away. But since they were in the elevator, there was no where he could go but face the wall. “Ah.”

                Gaku raised an eyebrow. “What are you doing here at Yaotome Productions?” He asked. He was only curious, and genuinely interested in a kind way. Yet his deep voice came off a bit intimidating. And as a result, Iori began to fear he had upset Trigger’s leader.

                “I-I…!” He stuttered. “I am here on behalf of Idolish7…to discuss a few matters with Trigger,” He responded, the smooth lie Tenn had instructed him to use.

                “With Trigger?” Gaku crossed his arms. “How come I wasn’t informed about it?”

                Iori swallowed. Gaku was the last person he thought he would run into. If anything, he thought he would only pass security, or perhaps a few producers that worked for Yaotome Pro. Never did he expect to walk right into the President’s son himself! Gaku was the last person he felt confident lying to. Hell, Iori was a terrible liar anyways.

                “I…apologize. Sincerely,” Iori bowed his head nervously. “I’m here…on behalf of our Manager. She was busy today. I’m just here to…um…-“ He bit his lip, desperately trying to think of how to finish that sentence. He was startled, yet heavenly relieved when Gaku suddenly cut him off:

                “Your manager!?” He gasped, eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. For some reason, Gaku suddenly became very excited. “How’s she been?” He smiled. “She hasn’t responded to my texts in weeks.”

Iori swallowed. He didn’t understand why Gaku was showing such interest in his manager. Yet he continued the conversation with a calm reply. “She is well. Just a bit stressed lately. I didn’t know you two texted…”

Gaku stepped towards Iori. “Of course we do!” He exclaimed, a bit too loudly. Unknowingly, he backed Iori into the wall. Looming over him, he continued to show his interest in Tsumugi. “I hope she’s not too stressed. If she ever needs help, I can help her. With anything. I mean that. D-doesn’t…” He suddenly drifted off. “Doesn’t she ever talk about me?”

Yet Iori was far too terrified by Gaku’s sudden advances to even process what he had been saying. “Uwah!” He squealed, backing up into the wall. He gasped, feeling himself trapped in such a crammed place between a wall and the number one most desired embrace. Terrified, Iori looked up at Gaku with the most frightened, vulnerable eyes. He looked so scared. It was adorable.

                Then Gaku realized what he had done. He had unintentionally frightened poor little Iori. And now he was practically pinning him to the wall like some aggressive dominant. All he wanted was to ask about Tsumugi’s wellbeing. But it came off as intimidating. Gaku froze dead in his tracks. 

                “Ah…”

                _Ding!_ The elevator suddenly reached the desired floor and the doors opened. A crowd of people was revealed to be waiting in the hallway. A few of them gasped when they spotted Gaku pinning Iori to the wall.

                “Sh-shit!” Gaku quickly yanked away, careful not to give the people a rumor to start. “Tch. Come on, Izumi. I’ll lead you to the conference room.” He suddenly grabbed Iori’s hand and pulled him away.

                “Eh? A-ah!” Iori gasped, stumbling after Gaku. He looked over his shoulder and saw the people staring. Embarrassed, he let Gaku drag him off. He had no idea what had just happened.

**_ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _ **

                Eventually, Gaku lead Iori to Trigger’s meeting room and invited him inside. After hanging up his jacket and sitting on the couch, he gestured for Iori to come sit with him. “Make yourself at home,” He offered. “There’s drinks over- Oh. I forgot. You’re underage,” He corrected himself. “Sorry.”

                Iori blinked. He didn’t understand what was happening. “U-Um. Apologizes. Am I intruding?” He inquired, hesitant to sit down.

                Gaku shook his head. “Not at all. I’m sure you scheduled an appointment with Trigger and my old man just neglected to tell me about it,” He rolled his eyes. “Have a seat, Izumi. Ryu, Tenn, and Anesagi-san are probably on the way. I’ll keep you company until they get here and we can start the meeting.”

                Iori’s eyes widened. He realized what was happening. Gaku seriously believed there was meant to be a meeting. And now Iori was trapped. There was no way he could tell Gaku the truth- that he was only there to see Tenn and there wasn’t supposed to be a meeting at all! He was left no choice but to hang his head in defeat and slowly walk over to the couch. "Thank you..." He sat down. And soon, an awkward silence filled the atmosphere.

                Gaku sat there with his arms folded for a moment. He avoided eye contact with Iori. The two of them had hardly ever been alone together. This was surely unusual. Gaku knew Iori was quite anti-social and shy. So he knew he had to say something as the extrovert he was, always wanting to make peace between their groups. “Sorry for earlier,” He spoke up, in that nerve-wracking deep voice of his again. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m glad you’re here on behalf of Takanashi Tsum- Takanashi Productions.”

                Iori felt a chill run down his spine. He was a terrible liar and had no idea how to handle this situation. “No need to apologize. Thank you for having me,” He stated. Then another silence commenced. Iori found himself glancing around the room awakrdly, searching for a clock. He prayed Tenn would show up soon and save him.

                “You must think about Tenn a lot,” Gaku suddenly spoke up.

                “EH!?” Iori gasped, far too loudly. He was stunned at how Gaku suddenly read his mind. “S-sorry! Wh-wh…! Um! Sorry Yaotome-san. Excuse me!?” He stammered.

                Gaku chuckled, finding Iori’s nervousness cute. “Ha. You’re stuttering,” He laughed in amusement. It was embarrassing for Iori. Yet somehow it was just the ice breaker they both needed to feel more comfortable. “Haha,” Gaku snickered. “You can drop the formalities. We’re friends, aren’t we?” He smiled. “I feel really bad about that article written about you and Tenn. I’m sure Tenn made some smart-ass comment to you in the hallway and you just followed your instincts, pinning him to the wall to show him who’s boss,” He suggested. However, that suggestion was more something he would do, rather than Iori. “I’m sorry an article about you two spread. I hope it doesn’t make you resent Trigger…”

                Iori blinked. He could tell how much Gaku cared about his group. That was something they had in common. “Y-yes! I mean. No. I-it’s quite alright. Kujou-san informed me the article has been taken down from all media sources. And the reporter responsible has been taken to court.” He quickly gasped, covering his mouth. “Ah! I…I mean…”

                Gaku’s eyes widened. “Wow. Tenn told you that? I’m shocked…When did he…?” He trailed off. He suddenly became suspicious, numerous questions surfacing in his mind. “That’s strange. He usually doesn’t confide in people like that. Not even Ryu and I…”

                Iori squeezed his hands in his lap. He didn’t have any strength left in him. If Tenn was there, he would easily be able to manipulate the situation. But not Iori. Iori was weak when it came to these things. He merely stared at the ground, feeling like crying. He wished he could cuddle his Roppu-chan plushie in that moment. He was so scared.

                “Maybe you and Tenn really are having an affair,” Gaku decided.

                “HUH!?” Iori looked up in horror. He was so shocked, he hardly noticed Gaku scoot closer to him. Now they were right next to each other on the couch. And Gaku only made things worse by suddenly leaning his face in, observing Iori up close and personal. “Y-Yaotome-san!?”

                “Hm… Interesting…” Gaku raised an eyebrow, as he looked deeply into Iori’s eyes. He was scanning him for the truth, with that stone cold expression. Practically looking right through Iori’s very soul. He growled. "I bet you think you’re hot shit. Seducing a modern day angel like Kujou Tenn. Could it be… Idolish7’s quiet little Izumi Iori is really a dirty little playboy?”

                Iori turned red. “Y-you’ve got it wrong! I could never-!”

                “Very funny,” Gaku hissed. His deep voice cut Iori’s soft one off again. He narrowed his eyes. “Listen to me, kid. I don’t know what you’re trying to pull. But this isn’t a game. Nice plan trying to destroy Trigger with a scandal like this. But as the leader, I won’t allow it,” He explained. “If you so much as touch Tenn, or even look at him the wrong way, you’ll have to answer to me. Got it?”

                Iori was stunned. Frozen. Absolutely petrified at the intimidating threat. He did his best to respond, desperately trying to force out a sentence- a word- even a god damn syllable! But it was no use. Iori was too shocked to fight back. Truth be told, he could never fight anyone. He stayed there like a timid little lamb, saying his prayers before being devoured by a wolf. Then suddenly, the silence broke:

                “Just kidding!” Gaku pulled away from Iori. He burst out laughing, smiling in that charming way that could steal anyone’s heart. “Shit, you look really scared! I’m only joking, Izumi! Ahaha! That’s a cute reaction, you have there!”

                Iori blinked, not believing what he was seeing. That cold stare and daunting voice had been _just an act!?_ “Eh?” He gasped. “U-Um… Aha…V-Very funny, Yaotome-san…!” He faked a laugh. On the outside, he was trying his best to laugh it off. But on the inside he was all ASDFGHJKQWERTYLKJHGFAERTYJHGFDSERTYKUYTRESASRFGYHJKKJHYTDSWWSERGHJ

                Gaku grinned in amusement and patted Iori’s head. “Sorry, Sorry. You can calm down now. I know you’re not capable of something as elaborate as an affair. It would take years in the entertainment industry to pull a stunt like that and get away with it,” He proposed. Then he smirked. “You’re just a kid, after all.”

                Iori swallowed. “Aha…y-yes. Just a kid…” He nodded. He looked away from Gaku, heart pounding in his chest. He couldn’t handle the anxiety. The thought of someone in Trigger or Idolish7 finding out the truth was enough to give him a heart attack. He took a moment to take a few deep breaths, desperately trying to calm down from the scare. Thank God Gaku didn’t find out the truth.

                “So how’s Tsumugi?” Gaku suddenly changed the subject. “I hope she’s not overworking herself. Is she sleeping properly? Eating properly? I can’t help but notice she hasn’t ordered any soba recen- I mean! I, uh…” He drifted off. “Hey. D-does she still like soba?”

                Iori eyed Gaku strangely at that weird sentence. “Um…”

                “Sorry. I just want to make sure she’s alright,” Gaku continued. “If she ever needs a ride anywhere, I’d be happy to drive her myself.”

                “Manager already has her own license,” Iori replied. “Forgive me. I was just a bit startled by the sudden subject change,” He clarified. “You went from talking about to Kujou-san to Manager so quickly. Almost as if you felt no alteration in the conversation whatsoever. Almost as if… _Y-you were dying to switch from Kujou-san to Manager…”_

                At those words, the room suddenly fell silent. Everything felt still, like the world itself had stopped turning. It took Iori a moment to realize Gaku hadn’t responded to him. It was strange. Suspicious, even. Worried he had said something to upset the president’s son, Iori glanced over at Gaku with concern. He opened his mouth to speak, yet suddenly, there was a noise:

 _Click!_ The door suddenly opened. Gentle footsteps entered the room. They were soft and light. Yet such petite footsteps were followed by an aggressive slam of the door. “What the hell is going on in here?” A familiar voice called. “I was just informed Trigger’s Yaotome Gaku privately escorted Idolish7’s Izumi Iori up to a room all alone. That sounds rather strange, don’t you think? It would be a shame if a rumor surfaced because of this…” He chuckled, superiorly. “How scandalous.”

Iori’s face lit up when he saw none other than Tenn appear before him. “Kujou-san!” His eyes sparkled, as he realized he was saved.

Gaku frowned at Tenn. “Very funny, brat. But I’m not as reckless as you. You’re the one who put Trigger in jeopardy. I still need to talk to my old man about that court case and make sure no one gets hurt…” He realized. “Oi. Tenn. Why wasn’t I told about this meeting with Idolish7?” He suddenly recalled.

Tenn titled his head innocently. “What meeting?” He played dumb. “I wasn’t informed of any meeting either. Perhaps it was President Yaotome’s idea. Maybe he wanted to meet with Idolish7 alone. Without us or Ryu,” He shrugged, lying ever so easily. He was so sly. Like a snake. A tempting serpent that had seduced Iori. And now he was tempting Gaku. “He always wants to do _what’s best_ for Trigger, right? As the president, doesn’t he have the right to call a secret meeting?” He smirked.

Clenching his hands into fists, Gaku fell victim to Tenn’s temptation. “That old bastard!” He exclaimed. “He knows better than to have diplomatic meetings without me. I’m Trigger’s leader and when I get my hands on him-!”

“Yeah, yeah. Have all the fun you want yelling at others, rather than communicating properly. Sorry to hear about your daddy issues,” Tenn smirked, walking over to the couch. He sat down right next to Iori and crossed his legs arrogantly. “I’ll keep Izumi Iori company while you go complain to your father. Have fun.”

“I-“ Gaku suddenly froze. He swallowed. Seeing Tenn and Iori next to each other like that really bothered him. He felt a burning sensation in his chest. Yet the worst part was he didn’t know why. For some reason, he felt the same agony Riku did when he saw Iori and Tenn side by side. The two of them just looked good together. How irritating. “Don’t give me that look,” Gaku ordered. “This is immature. Whatever scheme you’re devising to get my attent-!”

“Ahaha~ Hilarious! You think this is all for you? How selfish,” Tenn burst out, laughing arrogantly. Then he returned to his usual emotionless expression again. “Sorry to break it to you, but I am no puppetmaster here. I couldn’t care less about getting your attention,” He growled. “We’re business partners, Gaku. It’s not like we actually care about each other…Right?” He suddenly smirked.

Gaku stared at Tenn. The cold atmosphere in the room felt colder than ever. Tenn continued to grin at his idolmate, smug and confidently  And Iori just sat there, utterly confused at the suspicious exchange he was witnessing. For a moment, Gaku looked at Iori. But then he sighed in aggravation. “Shut up, brat,” He decided, turning for the door. He threw his jacket back on before grabbing the doorknob. “Sorry you had to see all that, Izumi. Don’t read too much into it,” He apologized. He hesitated for a moment, as if about to say something else. But all he muttered was, “Tell Tsumugi I say hello.” And with that, he exited the room.

Tenn and Iori were finally left alone. As they had desired all along.

“Ahhh~ Thank goodness. I thought he’d never leave~” Tenn sighed peacefully, stretching his arms to the ceiling.

Iori swallowed. “Kujou-san. What was that all about? Yaotome-san seemed… upset.”

“Ha,” Tenn chuckled. “Of course he’s upset. He’s Gaku.” He rolled his eyes. Then he scooted closer to Iori and grabbed his hand. He rubbed his thumb over the back of Iori’s palm. He studied and admired every gentle feature of Iori’s soft hand. To him, every inch of Iori was divine. “Don’t worry. This room doesn’t have any security cameras. We’ve safe.” He rested his head on Iori’s shoulder, nuzzling into him affectionately. “Thanks for coming, darling.”

Normally Iori would melt, feeling Tenn snuggle into him like that. Yet in this moment, he felt sick to his stomach. He didn’t put his arm around Tenn and instead, shifted away a little.

Tenn noticed instantly. “What’s wrong, Iori?” He asked, looking up at him. He pouted when Iori avoided eye contact. “You’re thinking about Riku, aren’t you?”

Iori sighed. There was no use in hiding it. “I trust you received my text message. Nanase-san made me promise to stay away from him. I didn’t want to hurt him anymore than I already have, so I complied,” He explained. “I feel awful. And I miss him…” He looked down. “U-Uwaaah! I m-mean…!”

“Hush,” Tenn suddenly pressed his index finger against Iori’s soft lips. It silenced him instantly. “You don’t need to scramble for excuses around me, Iori. I want honesty. After all, honesty is a characteristic I admire most about you…”

Iori felt his heart flutter. “Kujou-san…” He whispered. What a sweet thing to say.

Tenn sighed. “It's only natrual for you to miss Riku. I miss him too..." He looked down. "I've been missing him...for more than half my life..." He drifted off. "Ahem," He quickly snapped out of it. "You know, there’s times when I wish I could beat the shit out of the asshole who broke my little brother’s heart…”

Iori gasped. “Eh!?”

Tenn nodded. “You’re a younger brother, so perhaps you don’t understand. But it’s my responsibility as an older brother to protect Riku with my life. And put his happiness ahead of mine. I wish I could kill the bastard who cheated on him and sentence his soul to the depths of hell…”

Iori felt a chill run down his spine at Tenn’s creepy words. Yet he understood the situation. He could see Mitsuki doing something like that for him, since Mitsuki was such a wonderful Nii-san. Yet in this scenario, Iori was terrified. “B-But Kujou-san! _I’m_ the person who broke Nanase-san’s heart! It’s me! ME!” He sobbed. “You couldn’t possibility kill m-!”

“I know, I know,” Tenn groaned. “I won’t be killing anyone. I just _wish_ I could. I wish you and the culprit were two different people,” He chuckled. “But I’m just a fool. I’ve fallen in love with the culprit whose hurt my baby brother. How utterly pointless…” He growled. “I’m a terrible brother…”

Iori watched Tenn’s emotions crumble. And it made his heart sad. “Kujou-san, don’t say such things!” He begged, grabbing Tenn’s hands in his. “I won’t tolerate anyone calling themselves a terrible brother. Nanase-san and you have a special connection no one else in the world can interfere upon. Because you’re family. Because you’re twins. Because you’re _brothers_ …” He explained. He looked down at Tenn’s tiny hands. And he squeezed them. “Kujou-san… If you admire my honesty, allow me to make a confession,” He began. “I believe wholeheartedly that you and Nanase-san are both wonderful people. Such kind souls. And such brave hearts. I admire both of you for your individuality and uniqueness. You may be twins, but you’re ever so different,” He explained. “He’s gentle and considerate. And you’re diligent and courageous. I wish for these words to resonate with you. You two are the very definition of impeccable brothers. And I think that’s beautiful.”

Tenn melted. His bottom lip quivered as he gazed into Iori’s sweet eyes. It took every bit of his strength not to break down crying. Instead, he merely blushed. “That…means a lot, Iori. Thank you…” He said softly, trying to maintain his confident image. He hesitated before speaking back up, trying to keep his cool. “Ahem. If you are so brave as to make a confession, then I shall make one as well. I’ll allow you to inquire of me one question. Ask me anything in the universe, and I shall deliver an appropriate response,” He folded his arms. "I'll give you whatever your heart desires."

Iori smiled. “Really? I can ask you anything?” He beamed with excitement. He felt happy, as he was yet again Tenn’s number one confidant. He held his chin for a moment, debating what question to ask. Truth be told, he had many questions for Tenn. But when it came down to it, he wasn’t sure how to approach any of them. His stomach churned as he began thinking of dirty questions. Then realized there was something that would be smart to ask. Something he needed to ask. Something far more important than anything else. “K-Kujou-san…” He tuned red.

Tenn smiled. “Yes, baby?” He cupped Iori’s left cheek in his hand. He grinned, caressing Iori’s face gently. “Ask me anything. I’m all yours.”

Iori swallowed, his face burning with embarrassment. But he knew he needed to ask this question. He should have asked it a long time ago. “Kujou-san…Y-you’ve told me before that you…um, you’re experienced,” He began. “The day we first made love, you told me it wasn’t your first time. So I’ve been wondering… When was your first time? How many people have you been with? And…wh-who?” He barely squeaked out the words, before turning away in humiliation.

Tenn’s eyes widened as he watched Iori rip away from him in fright. He couldn’t believe his little Iori had asked him such a question. Yet he merely smirked. “Oh? Sweet Iori is curious about my past? How cute,” He teased, reaching down. He snuck his hand to Iori’s leg and touched him gently. His palm began rubbing Iori's inner thigh. “Let me hear your estimation first. What do you think my sex life has been like, Iori?” He chuckled.

“U-uwah…!” Iori gasped as Tenn started rubbing him. He swallowed hard, unable to handle the teasing. Tenn’s hand was so dangerously close to his private area! “I…I do not know! You’re so confident! It leads me to believe… you’ve been with numerous people. Men. Maybe women as well, I am not sure…” He bit his lip. A chill ran down his spine. “A-ah. Perhaps they are all celebrities. Other idols and entertainers… Seducing…wh-whoever you want…to get whatever you want…!”

Tenn frowned. He instantly yanked his hand away from Iori. “Is that how you see me? Some sort of superstar slut who will sleep with anyone?”

“Ah! N-no! N-n-not at all, Kujou-san!” Iori gasped. “That’s not what I meant! I just-!”

“No. I understand,” Tenn folded his arms. “I suppose that is the image Trigger gives off. But as a member of Idolish7, you should understand… Trigger isn’t like that in real life…” He looked down. There was a moment of silence. Then Tenn continued. “I guess I lead you to believe such things, didn’t I? Poor Iori. I’m only eighteen, you know. Haha, I promise I haven’t slept with more than nine people,” He winked.

Iori’s jaw dropped. “N-nine!?”

“Just kidding,” Tenn snickered. He looked at Iori in seriousness before confessing the truth. “I’ve only ever been with one other person, besides you. The one who took my virginity. That’s all.”

Iori’s eyes widened. “Really?” he asked. “Ah!” He gasped, covering his mouth. He realized that sounded rude. Yet truth be told, he was really shocked. Tenn seemed so mature and knowledgeable, especially when it came to sex. This was so embarrassing for Iori. He took a deep breath before replying. “My apologizes. You do not have to answer any more of my inquiries. But… I am curious about the story…” He looked down. It was clear Iori was protective of Tenn and really cared for him. Tenn knew Iori's curiosity was sweet and pure. So he smiled and prepared an answer for him.

“Ahh, Iori, you’re such a bad boy,” He teased. “But I’ll tell you everything…If you really want to know…” He began. “I was your age when it happened. I found myself alone with him. One thing lead to another and-” He stopped.

“So it was a man…” Iori nodded. “And if it was last year then you were already in Trigger…” He held his chin, analyzing every detail. "Interesting..."

Tenn’s recognized the calculative expression on Iori’s face. “Oi. Iori, stop that. Don’t analyze my words so deeply, damn it!”

“I see, I see,” Iori nodded, his brain rambling through the facts. “Taking into consideration your position, status, and the timing, it’s seems as though you’ve successfully hidden a relationship even while being an idol. You’ve done the impossible, Kujou-san. I am amazed no one else knows of this.”

Tenn swallowed. Hard. “Stop that. Damn it, cut it out, Iori!" He commanded. He couldn't believe how smart Iori was. Tenn had only revealed the smallest details and already, Iori was solving the mystery. "Stop analyzing everything!"

“Hiding a relationship while being an idol…And while you were only seventeen. You must have been with someone older. Much older. Someone mature enough to help you cover everything up appropriately…” Iori rambled like a machine.

Tenn turned red. “Iori, I’m warning you-!” He screamed, in fury. It wasn’t often he got angry at Iori. In fact, he never did. Yet in that moment, he felt his rage overflowing. Perhaps it was because people rarely outsmarted him. Or perhaps it was because someone was figuring out the secret Tenn had hid for so long. Or perhaps… He simply didn’t want Iori to know the truth.

“If it was a man, it was most likely not a fan. So odds are it was indeed another celebrity. I wonder if he’s a celebrity I could recognize…” Iori deducted. “Two celebrities hiding a relationship…Interesting…”

Tenn turned red with ferocity. He couldn’t take it any more. “IT WASN’T A RELATIONSHIP!” He suddenly screeched, jumping up from the couch. His vengeful outburst had been so loud and unexpected, it made Iori physically jump with fright. Tenn breathed hot air, absolutely consumed with resentment. “It wasn’t…a relationship…” He calmed down, taking deep breaths. He exhaled, looking away in shame. “You’re so innocent. It was a one night stand, Iori. There. I said it,” He growled.

Iori blinked. He couldn’t believe Tenn had confessed such a thing. He suddenly felt bad for digging so deep for the truth. “Kujou-san. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean-“

“It’s fine,” Tenn sighed, sitting back down. “I know how my Iori gets when he’s analyzing things. Your brain is truly amazing, my darling. You’re really a genius.”

Flustered, Iori looked down. “I didn’t mean to pry like that. I won’t ask any further questions.”

The conversation seemed to come to an end as the topic faded into thin air. Iori relaxed as Tenn seemed to forgive his inconsiderateness. Yet Tenn still seemed restless. Memories, and images of that one night stand began surfacing in his mind. It drove him crazy. Eventually, he shattered the silence and spoke back up. “He and I were not a couple," He growled. "I'm an idiot. He's an idiot! I thought something special had bloomed between us that night...! But...!"  He choked on his words, desperately shaking his head in attempt to rid himself of the memories. “We had sex. I thought he really cared for me. I fell asleep in his arms. But when I woke up...He was gone," He explained. "He left in the middle of the night, and I woke up...alone! Like he had abandoned me so god damn easily! URG!" He shouted. He was getting so worked up, pacing back and forth in agony. It wasn't often Tenn let lose of his emotions. But he had been holding this in for so long, it felt good to get off his chest. "He's so hot-headed and selfish. We never even spoke of that night after it happened! So I guess it meant nothing to him. It meant nothing to him! After all, he doesn't care about me! His full attention is always on...!" He suddenly froze, making direct eye contact with Iori.

Iori watched, utterly stunned at Tenn’s monologue. “Kujou-san…” He whispered, standing from the couch. He approched Tenn and wrapped his arms around him. He hugged him gently. “Please don’t fret. I’m sorry for making you confess such a thing. I will not ask any further questions. I’m sorry…” He rubbed Tenn’s back up and down, soothing him with that gentle voice of his. “I understand now. That’s why you were so scared of me leaving in the middle of the night last time we slept together…”

Tenn’s eyes watered over Iori’s shoulder. He felt like a fool for suddenly pouring his heart out. It wasn’t like Kujou Tenn to suddenly let his emotions show. Or perhaps, it wasn’t like his stage persona. But the real Tenn had been dying for someone to listen to him for so long. Now that he finally had someone like that- now that he finally had Iori- he felt so much better.

“Maybe this is why I’m so clingy to you… I’m sorry. You can call me an idiot now,” Tenn sniffled. He melted into the warmth of Iori’s arms. “I’m a bad person…for dragging you into this…”

“What are you talking about, Kujou-san? You’re not a bad person.” Iori reassued. He ever so gently brushed his lips against Tenn’s, lightly kissing him tenderky. It wasn’t often Iori initiated kisses. But in that moment he knew Tenn needed it. “I-I already told you. I admire you so much. That will never change.”

Tenn's eyes sparkled. “Oh, Iori…” He sighed, feeling the warmth of Iori’s lips on his. He returned the emotions by kissing back. Wrapping his arms around Iori’s neck, he deepened their lip contact. “Mh. Mmh Iori~”

“Kujou-san…” Iori growled, dominantly. He felt passion building up in his chest. On instinct, he propelled Tenn backwards and suddenly pinned him down to the couch. The next thing he knew, he was greedily stealing kisses from the boy below him. Hungrily devouring his lips.

“Mm! Iori…Ahh!”  Tenn moaned, just the way Iori liked it. He pulled their bodies closer, wanting to feel every inch of him. He tugged at Iori’s hair, desperately signaling that he craved more. The pleasure only increased as he parted his lips and Iori slid his tongue inside. “Y-yes! Iori…~ God, give me more…”

“Kujou-san. Don’t worry about him or anyone else ever again. I’m sure he meant you no harm by moving on so quickly. But I… I'll never leave you unhappy..."

“Iori…” Tenn moaned again. He couldn’t stop saying his name as his mind went blank, drowning in thoughts of the other male. He panted as Iori’s hands slid up under his shirt and gripped his waist. He opened his eyes only for a moment to look up at him, such an adorably flustered expression on his face. Tenn was really beautiful. Yet all he could think about was Iori’s beauty. His heart melted when he saw those sweet eyes.

“I admire a lot about my sweet little Iori…His honesty, His intelligence…” Tenn whispered. He sobbed, tearing up again. “But most of all… _I-I fell in love with his silver eyes!”_

Iori was nibbling Tenn’s neck. He ran his tongue up Tenn’s skin before stopping. His brain couldn’t help but analyze those words. “Silver eyes…?”

 _Ring! Ring! Ring!_ Before anyone could advance, Iori’s phone suddenly rang. Both boys stopped moving. Tenn told Iori it was alright to answer. Both were eager to see if it was Riku. Iori nervously picked up his phone, Tenn clinging to his body like a pet.

“Hello?” He answered, stroking Tenn’s head gently.

“IORI!” Mitsuki yelled over the phone. He sounded terrified, eaten up with exasperation. “Thank god you answered! Didn’t you see the Idolish7 group chat!? You need to come to the hospital right away! NOW, IORI!”

“Nii-san?” Iori asked in confusion.

“Izumi Mitsuki?” Tenn whispered. “Iori, what’s wrong?”

Iori bit his lip. “Nii-san. Please calm down. What is happening?” He begged.

Mitsuki didn’t have the strength to relax. He answered in the same desperate tone. “Everyone is already here! Everyone but you! Come to the hospital, Iori!” He commanded. “IT’S RIKU!”

Words cannot describe the shock Iori felt in that moment. He instantly dropped his phone to the floor, covering his mouth in horror. He trembled like a traumatized child, unable to move a muscle. His brain shut down as well. He couldn’t even speak.

“Hey, what’s wrong, Iori? What did your brother say?” Tenn leaned closer to Iori. He didn’t understand the petrified look on Iori’s face. It  worried him. “Iori?”

“IT’S NANASE-SAN!” Iori screamed. He looked at Tenn with tears in his silver eyes. “Nanase-san is in the hospital!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA omg this is the most intense cliff hanger yet!!! DESHOU!???  
> lololololololol I hope you guys enjoyed this update! It's riddled with clues and foreshadowing, I wonder if you can tell~  
> Thanks for reading! KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA


	12. Center

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaaaaaaaaaaaaa ok first lemme say im sorry this chapter is so long. THERE'S JUST A LOT OF IMPORTANTE STUFF HAPPENING AND I CAN'T BARE TO EDIT ANYTHING OUT! I'm sorry! I love you!  
> This is a heavy chapter filled with... let's just say EVERYTHING YOU HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR ;)  
> I hope I envoke beautiful emotions within you! ENJOY!  
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
> “I’m not mad at you anymore, Iori. Because I got insight to your real emotions. And now I know how you’ve felt about this entire scandal from start to finish … And it’s melted my heart…”  
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Although it took less than five minutes to get to the hospital, it felt like an eternity. Iori ran as fast as he could through the pouring rain, Mitsuki’s words echoing through his mind: _“Come to the hospital, Iori! It’s Riku!”_

Of course Iori feared the worst. What if Riku had a respiratory attack? What if he didn’t get to the hospital in time? What if it was Iori’s fault for not being there? Or worse… What if Riku had made an attempt on his life?

Iori violently shook his head as he continued to dash through the rain. Riku would never attempt suicide! He’s the happiest and most cheerful person in the world! Or at least he used to be. Perhaps Iori had stolen a little of that happiness when he broke Riku’s heart. Iori felt sick to his stomach thinking about it. He began to blame himself for everything. Whatever pain Riku was in, it was surely his fault. No doubt about it.

Eventually, Iori made it to the hospital and was lead to Riku’s room. He threw the door open, drenched in rain as tried to catch his breath. “I-I’m here! Ahh…hah…!” He gasped for air, after running so much. “I’m here…N-Nanase-san…!” In the hospital room, Riku was laying in the bed unconscious. He was hooked up to numerous machines, attached to his arms and chest. And of course, he had an oxygen mask on for air. The other Idolish7 members were all surrounding the bed. They looked up when Iori burst in so suddenly.

“Iori!” Mitsuki called. He ran up to his brother. “Iori, thank God you’re here! You didn’t answer you phone for so long, we were worried something happened to you!”

Iori swallowed. “I’m sorry, Nii-san. I’m here. I’m alright…” He said softly. “But more importantly, what happened to Nanase-san!?”

Sogo sighed, clearly distressed by the situation. “About an hour ago, we found Riku-kun passed out in your room. So we called an ambulance… Apparently he had an attack…”

Iori’s eyes widened in horror. “What!?” He screamed, utterly concerned. “Why was he unconscious in my room? What on earth was he doing in there!?”

Nagi jumped in. “Oh! I saw Riku going into your room, Iori! When I asked him what he was doing, he became very flustered and nervous. I assumed he was just going to see you because you’re boyfriends!” He clarified. “Little did I know you were not home,… Now I wonder why he was in there so long by himself…”

Iori twitched. “Wait a moment. He was in my room…alone…?” He quickly analyzed everything. His face turned red with fury. “That means he could have been passed out for hours! He could have had an attack and been suffering for hours without his inhaler!” He stormed up to Nagi in rage. “If you were the last person to see him, why didn’t you check on him!?” He sobbed, grabbing Nagi’s shoulders violently. He pushed him up against the wall. It was so sudden and unexpected; it was wildly out of character for Iori to lash out physically. But he had been through so much. So much pain and anguish. His emotions were crumbling. This was the worst moment of his life. He glared up at Nagi with wrath.

Nagi was too startled by Iori’s aggressive advance, all he could do was let out an _“OH!”_ in surprise. He was more shocked than afraid. He blinked at Iori, absolutely stunned as he was pinned to the wall.

“Whoa, whoa! Calm down, Ichi!” Yamato sprang into action to separate the two boys. He ripped Iori away from Nagi, trying to calm him down. “No need to get physical. Take a deep breath and rela-“

“I will not relax!” Iori screamed, trying to get out of Yamato’s grip. He squirmed around in a frenzy as he was pulled back by the waist. “This is all Rokuya-san’s fault! He’s so clueless and oblivious all the time!” He sobbed.

Nagi blinked, feeling his heart break. “I…Iori…?” He whispered, voice weakening. “I am sorry. I assumed you were in the room with Riku all along. I had no idea he was alone…” It wasn’t often Nagi got sad. But when it came to losing the people he loved, his entire demeanor would break down. “Iori… are we not dear friends?” He asked softly.

“We aren’t!” Iori screamed. “Are you an idiot!?”

“Ah! Iori-kun!” Sogo gasped in shock.

Nagi trembled. “I did not mean any harm. I had no idea Riku had passed out!” He begged, taking a step forwards. “Oh Jesus! If I had known, I would have scooped him up in my arms and carried him all the way here myself!”

“Naggichi, stay back…” Tamaki grabbed Nagi to pull him back.

Meanwhile, Yamato was still yanking Iori away in a similar manner. “Since when do you two fight like this!?”

“Urg! Let me go! Let me go!” Iori sobbed, eyes filling with tears. Deep down, he wasn’t truly angry at Nagi. And although he seemed to be blaming him, he knew it wasn’t Nagi’s fault at all. It was just his way of coping with his broken emotions. He knew it was all _his_ fault. He knew he alone had almost killed Riku. Because he wasn’t there for him. But in that moment, it was so much easier to yell at someone innocent than face reality. “This is all your fault, Rokuya-san! Nanase-san could have died because of you!” He screamed.

“STOP!” Mitsuki suddenly yelled, loud enough to make everyone freeze. He jumped in front of Nagi and shielded him from Iori. “Iori…” He called, looking into his brother’s teary eyes. “Don’t do this. This isn’t you!” He exclaimed. “Iori… Damn it, snap out of it! You’ve been acting so weird lately and it’s been worrying the hell out of me! It’s so hard trying to figure out what’s going through that analytical mind of yours! But I know something’s wrong. You’re my beloved little brother and I’m begging you, please don’t take your emotions out on your friends…” He sobbed. Then his cheeks turned a light shade of pink. “I-if you want to yell at Nagi… You’ll have to get through me first…” He announced boldly.

“Nii-san! Why are you defending Rokuya-san!?”

“Because I love him, Iori!” Mitsuki suddenly shouted. He clenched his hands into fists, feeling his heart pound in anxiety. Then he hung his head in defeat. “Damn it… I love him, Iori…”

“Mitsuki…” Nagi whispered. He gently pulled away from Tamaki and grabbed Mitsuki’s little hand in his. “My princess. You said not to tell-“

“I know what I said,” Mitsuki cut him off. “But at this point, it’s unfair that everyone knows but Iori.”

Iori’s eyes widened. He saw the way that tall, gorgeous man was holding his brother’s hand. And he instantly analyzed everything. “Nii-san…You and Rokuya-san…”

Mitsuki sighed before confessing. “Nagi and I are dating,” He admitted. “I’m sorry you’re the last person to know! It’s just that you haven’t been home lately and-!”

“I’m the last one to know…? Nii-s-sa…” Iori whimpered. He looked around at all the terrified faces of his friends. And he realized that they were all horribly scared of him. He had been acting so strange due to the stress of the scandal. And running away all the time to meet Tenn made him miss out on so much at home. He hated the way he had treated everyone. He hated the person he had become.

Not being there for Riku was one thing. Not being there for Mitsuki was another.

In one painful instant, Iori physical felt his heart shatter. He looked down in sorrow, depression overwhelming him. “I’m sorry…! I’m sorry…! I’m s-sorry…!” He sobbed, tears spilling down his cheeks. He couldn’t bare the pain anymore. “Everyone… I-I’m sorry. I’ve been so distant from you all! Even more than my usual cold self…” He sniffled. “I know I’m taciturn and reticent, but I never wanted t-!”

“Iori! Don’t say that!” Mitsuki quickly went on his tip toes to reach his brother. He cupped Iori’s face in his palms and sighed, seeing his baby brother’s tears. “You’re introverted. But you’re not hostile! We love you just the way you are!” He exclaimed. “Please don’t cry. Look, there’s a lot of tension in this room right now. Let’s just apologize and move on. For Riku’s sake…”

Iori’s bottom lip quivered. Yet he nodded, obeying his brother. “I’m sorry, everyone…” He said, between sobs. Then he turned to Nagi, eyes twinkling with tears in the most adorable way. “And I am sorry to you, Rokuya-san. None of this is your fault. Y-you are not an idiot…” He blushed, trying to wipe away his tears. Iori was so gentle and soft when he cried. Without thinking, his feelings came pouring out, and he lowered his head to Nagi. “P-please take care of my Nii-san!”

Nagi’s sapphire eyes widened. He couldn’t believe Iori had said such a thing. Especially to him. Yet hardly a second passed before he pushed his way through everyone to run and hug Iori. “IORI! I LOVE YOU!” He exclaimed, cuddling the younger male in delight. He squeezed Iori tightly, thrilled to have his blessing to be with Mitsuki. “You shall be the best man at our wedding! I think all the groomsmen and I should wear matching socks! Won’t that be SO CUTE!? I shall order us matching Kokona socks and it will make for a BEAUTIFUL PICTURE!”

“Uwah~!” Iori squealed as Nagi hugged him. It was embarrassing. And he still felt bad. But for the first time in a while, he smiled. Perhaps Nagi’s joy reminded him of Riku. And that was exactly what he needed.

“EHHHHH!? NAGI!” Mitsuki suddenly screamed. “Oi! Let go of Iori! You’re crushing him! A-and who the hell said anything about a wedding!? We’ve literally been dating for twenty four hours!”

Nagi continued to spin around with Iori before letting him go. “Oh! But I have been in love with Mitsuki for much longer! We are soul mates, after all! Mitsuki, you said so in your confession to m-!”

“AAAAaAaAAaAAAAaaaAAAaAAAAaAAAA!!!!” Mitsuki groaned, jumping up and down in humiliation. “Shut up!!”

Everyone laughed at the adorable moment. And for just a few seconds, it felt like everything was alright. All of Idolish7 was together. And they were all happy for Nagi and Mitsuki. Yet as the laughter died down, reality rushed back in. They were still in a hospital. And Riku was still in that bed unconscious. Iori briefly looked over at him. Riku looked so sick and vulnerable. Iori sighed before turning back to everyone else.

“I’m deepest apologizes. I have neglected everyone recently. I never meant to spend so much time away from the dorm. But… I made a bad choice… And it was my responsibility to manage it…” Iori began. “I’m sorry for running away. I’ve been so anxious. I wonder if any of you have noti-“

“You didn’t eat dinner last night!” Sogo exclaimed.

“You fell asleep in class…” Tamaki reminded.

“You spilled tea in the kitchen!” Mitsuki yelled.

“You do not smile as much!” Nagi announced.

“I can literally hear you crying yourself to sleep every night, Ichi,” Yamato stated.

Iori sighed. “Ok. So perhaps _all_ of you have noticed.” He face-palmed. “Ahem. There is a reason for my suffering, I assure you. I have just been too ashamed to confess it…” He took a deep breath. “Th-the truth is…”

“You’re growing up!” Tamaki suddenly proclaimed.

“Tamaki-kun?” Sogo was confused.

Tamaki nodded rapidly. “Yeah! Iorin and I are growing up. I know it may not seem like it, and stuff, but we are. The rest of you are adults so you don’t understand. A year can go by for you guys and it’s no big deal. But if a year goes by for us, so much can change! Like hellloooo, we’re taking the big step of graduating high school next year! Uhhh, hopefully…” He explained, terribly. “Um. What I’m trying to say is… We’re maturing. Can’t you tell? I threw out an old pair of underwear today that had been under my bed for months covered in pudding. Stuff affects Iorin and I differently than you guys because we’re in a different phase of life. We’re young. So we’re sorry if we do stupid things. Kids always do crazy stuff, ya know? But we still love the people we love.”

Sogo’s eyes sparkled. He was so proud of his partner. “Tamaki-kun! That was beautiful!” He cheered. “Well, except for the part about the pudding-covered underwear. But you’re exactly right. You and Iori-kun are in a different phase of life and handle your emotions differently than the rest of us. We should respect that and help you grow to become wonderful young men.”

“Yee. Respect me, So-chan,” Tamaki nodded.

Iori looked down. Tamaki was right. Holy shit. Since when was Tamaki right about anything? First Iori had to praise Nagi, and now he has to praise Tamaki. Two things the younger Izumi never expected to do. “Thank you, Yotsuba-san,” He whispered. “That was a nice way to explain how I am feeling right now. Lost in my youth… Perhaps you and I aren’t so different, after all…” He remembered how he had snapped at Tamaki for comparing them the other day in the radio studio. They were more alike than one may think.

Tamaki grinned with success. “Told ya so, Iorin.”

Iori sighed. He knew he had to get the conversation back on track about Riku. He decided to explain the scenario. “Nanase-san and I broke up,” He confessed. “He made me swear to stay away from him. That’s why I was out of the dorm so much. And that’s why I’ve been acting so odd…” He clarified. “I’m terrified that this attack Nanase-san had is somehow due to me. No. I know it is. He went into _my_ room looking for _me_ and was shocked when I wasn’t there…” He deducted. “He must have known where I ran off to… And thinking about it gave him an attack…”

Sogo spoke up. “I’m sorry to hear about your break up, Iori-kun. But it’s highly unlikely that it’s what triggered Riku-kun’s attack,” He clarified. “Though I agree that it’s a mystery on why he went into your room in the first place… Perhaps you can ask him when he wakes up.”

Iori sighed, looking back at Riku in the bed. There was so much he had to say to him. Yet he was still under that promise to stay away from him. It was unlike Iori to break rules. But like Tamaki said, he had grown up so much. Perhaps he could break a rule just once. “Pardon me. Do we know when Nanase-san will awaken?” He inquired.

“The doc said he’s most likely to snap out of it anytime between now and tomorrow morning. He needs to stay here overnight,” Yamato answered. “We wanna come back first thing in the morning to get him.”

Iori nodded. Then he slowly sat down in the chair to the right of the bed. “With permission, I’d like to stay by his side. I know there isn’t enough room here for all of us, but the thought of Nanase-san waking up and being alone truly distresses me. Please allow me to remain here for the night. I’ll stay up as long as it takes… To talk to him again…”

“Iori…” Mitsuki whispered, stunned at the affectionate way his brother gazed at Riku. “You ca-“

“IT IS TRUE LOVE DESU!!!” Nagi suddenly blurted.

“I think that’s a wonderful idea, Iori-kun. I see it now. You and Tamaki-kun really have grown up. I believe you’re mature enough to stay here for the night,” Sogo said.

“Can I stay too?” Tamaki asked.

“No, Tamaki-kun.”

“Damn it.”

Yamato chuckled. “I’m sure he’ll wake up in a few hours. It’s pretty cute you wanna stay with him, Ichi. What do you say, Mitsu?” He smirked at Mitsuki.

Mitsuki sighed. “Aright, alright. You can stay, Iori. But promise me you’ll stay hydrated and go to the bathroom and wash your hands because we’re in a hospital an-“

“Waaah ok, Nii-san. You act like I’ve never slept away from you. Yes. I will. Thank you…” Iori blushed.

The boys all said their goodbyes and goodnights. Iori was shocked everyone was letting him stay. But his yearning to be with Riku couldn’t be denied. The boys indulged in a group hug (practically snuggling Iori to death) before leaving. Once the door was closed, Iori sat back down in the chair at Riku’s side. He sighed. Then there was silence.

**_ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _ **

About an hour passed as Iori sat there in silence, waiting for Riku to awaken. He found himself staring at Riku sometimes, unable to look away from how beautiful he looked while asleep. A couple of times, he glanced at Riku’s hand. He debated to hold that cute, little hand. But he no longer felt worthy of it. Not after everything he had done.

Eventually Iori couldn’t take it. He stood up and leaned over Riku. “Nanase-san, please! Wake up, already! I beg you!” He exclaimed. “Nanase-san. You are not a monster. I am. I’m the monster for hurting everyone! Because of me, the reputations of Trigger and Idolish7 were put in danger! I’ve broken your heart and twisted Kujou-san’s! I’ve singlehandedly worried all of our friends! I’ve- I’ve-…!” He breathed heavily, realizing how worked up he was getting. He would never say such things if Riku were awake. It was far to humiliating. “I’m… _an idiot…”_

Without thinking, Iori suddenly leaned in. Gently, he nuzzled his cheek against Riku. It was so soft he almost started crying. Then, he took a deep breath. And kissed the other boy on the lips in the most pure and tender way. It set Iori’s heart ablaze. Riku's lips were everything he had ever dreamed of, and more. Gentle, soft, innocent. Pure and sweet. Iori kissed him deeply, feeling a tear run down his cheek. Sparks flew. Despite everything he had bee through, this was the most exhillerating moment of his life. Then suddenly, Riku’s eyes fluttered open right on cue.

“Nn… nnh…” He groaned, leisurely waking up. His cherry red eyes opened and sparkled up at the other male. “I…Iori?”

Iori gasped, pulling away. He looked down at Riku, making shy eye contact. He couldn’t believe it. He had kissed Riku awake; like a real prince to a princess. He had broken his curse. With the power of his love. “S…S-Snow White…” Was all Iori could whisper.

Riku immediately ripped off the rubing of his oxygen mask and threw his arms around Iori. “IORI!” He hollered, in sheer joy. He pulled the younger male into a tight hug, squeezing him with love. It felt like an eternity since they had engaged in such a warm connection. Riku melted in Iori’s arms as he nuzzled into him. “Iori! Is it really you? Iori! Like a prince!”

“N-Nanase-san!?” Iori yelped, confused why Riku was hugging him. He cleared his throat awkwardly and stepped back. “Y-yes, it’s me. Apologizes. I know you said to stay away from you but I couldn’t help myself…” He explained, formally. “I know you hate me, and I can leave if you want. But even so I wa-“

“IORI! I missed you so much!” Riku exclaimed, holding nothing back. “That was my first kiss... I'm so glad. So glad! Iori was my first kiss!" He sobbed. "I’m sorry I told you to stay away! I absolutely forgive you for everything! I LOVE YOU, IORI!”

Iori’s expression turned blank. He couldn’t believe the words he was hearing. “Nanase-san. Did you hit your head or something? Perhaps you are more injured than the doctor evaluated. I’ll go get a nurse and-“ He turned to go.

“IORI!” Riku sobbed, catching Iori’s hand before he could leave. Iori gasped, feeling the familiar warmth from that precious hand. So soft and delicate. He had missed that feeling so much. Blushing, he turned slightly to face Riku again. Riku sniffled in the most adorable way. “Please don’t leave me…not ever again…”

Iori swallowed. He was so weak to Riku. “I-I’ll never leave you. I’m sorry.” He sat back down in the chair, still holding Riku’s hand. Confused, he paused before speaking back up. “Nanase-san… Th-this is so sudden. I’m truly worried about you. The others said you had an attack and passed out. In my room…” He explained. “Nanase-san. What were you doing in my room all alone?”

Riku blushed, pulling his hand away from Iori shyly. “Sorry…” He whispered. “Uwahh, this is embarrassing. I was looking for you because I wanted to talk. I guess I missed you too much,” He clarified. “But when I went in your room, you weren’t there. I assumed you were with Tenn-nii again… W-were you with Tenn-nii again, Iori?”

Iori swallowed. Yet he knew he couldn’t lie. “Yes. I was,” He answered simply.

Riku nodded. “I’m not mad. Believe me, I’m not mad anymore. I’m sorry I was so cruel to you and chased you off, Iori. The truth is I missed you and had a hard time without you…”

Iori raised an eyebrow. “Nanase-san, you have every right to be angry. Please do not apologize to me,” He ordered. “I was worried sick about you when Nii-san suddenly called me saying you were in the hospital. I rushed as fast as I could to get he-“

“Eh? You mean you left Tenn-nii for me?” Riku perked up.

Iori froze. “Yes, of course!” He exclaimed, rather agitated. “You’re in the hospital! I could never abandon you in a place like this! Are you an idiot!?”

Usually Riku got feisty when Iori called him an idiot. He always tried to fight back, arguing like a pouty child. Yet in that moment, he wasn’t mad at all. Instead, he suddenly smiled. And his shoulders began to bounce with laughter. “Aha…haha! Ahahaha!” He burst out.

Iori blinked. “Nanase-san, are you alright? Ah! Do you need oxygen!?”

“Haha! I’m fine, Iori! I’m fine!” Riku giggled. “I just missed hearing those words in your voice…”

“You missed… me calling you an idiot?”

“Hehe. I guess I did,” Riku shrugged. Then he sighed. “I’m not mad at you anymore, Iori. Because I got insight to your real emotions. And now I know how you’ve felt about this entire scandal from start to finish … And it’s melted my heart…”

“Nanase-san…What are you talking about…?”

“Ah! It’s in my bag! Can you get it for me please? In the corner over there?” Riku pointed to a red bag off to the side of the room. Iori was perplexed. Yet he obeyed and went to get the bag. He handed it to Riku without asking questions. Riku said thanks and then eagerly began digging through the bag. “TA-DAH!” He cheered, pulling out a navy blue notebook.

Iori froze, feeling his blood run cold. He would recognize that notebook anywhere. “M-MY JOURNAL! Nanase-san! UWAAHHH! P-p-please put that down immediately!” He sobbed, trying to snatch the book from Riku in humiliation.

“Hehe! You’re blushing, Iori! So cute!” Riku yanked the journal away playfully, keeping it from Iori. “Calm down, calm down! Just let me explain, ok?”

Iori’s heart was racing. He couldn’t believe Riku had his precious journal in his hand. There were so many secrets and embarrassing things riddled throughout that book. Iori had been crafting it since the day Idolish7 was formed. It had notes from school, notes from helping Tsumugi with management, and notes all about the scandal with Tenn and Riku. Although he wouldn’t admit it, it was practically his diary. “Please do not call me cute…” He begged. “You didn’t look inside it, did you?”

“Um. Does reading every single page cover to cover count as looking inside?” Riku giggled nervously.

“NANASE-SAN!”

“Ahh! Don’t be angry, Iori! Let me talk, ok!? This book is the most beautiful thing in the world!” Riku yelled, hugging the notebook to his chest. He let out a sigh before finally unleashing what was on his heart everything. “I went in your room to see you but you weren’t there. I was going to leave but then I tripped over nothing and this book fell out of no where!”

“Clumsy as ever, I see…”

“Hush, Iori!” Riku stuck his tongue out. “The book opened to a random page and I saw my name. I couldn’t help but scan it. You had written the sweetest things, all about me! How you saw potential in me when Idolish7 was first formed, and you wanted me to be our center. Your words about me are so lovely and heartfelt. I started crying as I read more and more…”

Iori’s expression softened as he listened to Riku. “Th-those are just notes I was documenting about Idolish7’s progress! Do not read too much into it!” He crossed his arms with attitude. “I hope you know it is very bad manners to go through someone’s belongings without permission!”

“I DON’T CARE!!” Riku yelled. “Iori, listen to me! This book is _everything_! It’s every emotion you’ve felt since we met! Happiness, sadness, everything! Almost every page is about me! Watching me, worrying for me, and caring for me!” He announced. “It proves… one hundred percent…” He slowly looked up and made eye contact, tears running down his cheeks. “You’ve been in love with me since the day we met, Iori.”

In that moment, Iori felt time itself freeze. He just stared at Riku with wide eyes. In dead silence. Somehow, it felt like a missing piece of a puzzle had finally been put into place. “I…” He could barely speak, he was so flabbergasted. “I’ve been in love with you since…the day we met…?”

“Yes, Iori!” Riku nodded vigorously. He wiped some of his tears away. “I know you’re a tsundere. So you have trouble explaining your feelings, and stuff. But that’s why this book is a miracle! It’s all your emotions written out in such beautiful detail, so you don’t need to say anything out loud! Face it, Iori! You’re in love with me! You were never in love with Tenn-nii in the first place!” He announced. He cuddled the book to his chest before kissing the cover of it. “I’m so happy… Iori has been in love with me… as long as I’ve been in love with him…”

It was the cutest thing Riku had ever said. Yet of course, Iori instantly began analyzing everything. Could Riku be correct? Was Iori really in love with him, without even knowing it? That journal wasn’t just Idolish7’s progress. It was Iori’s progress growing up. It documented everything he had ever felt, written from the depths of his heart.

Without a doubt, Iori was in love with Riku.

And he was the only one who didn’t know it.

“Nanase-san…” Iori’s voice was shaking. “R-read it to me…” He begged. “Open to a random page and read it out loud. I want to hear… my heart speaking back to me…”

Riku nodded. He quickly flipped to a random page of the book. And began to read from Iori’s pretty handwriting. “January tenth. Today was the first day of snow! The roads are covered in an icy array of frost. Snowflakes are like music notes. Each induvial entity with their own delicate beauty…”

Iori turned red at the girly writing. He really had no clue his heart spoke so romantic like that.

Riku continued, “I fear Idolish7’s rehearsal tomorrow may be cancelled due to the weather. I gave manager the idea of letting us rehearse tonight when Yotsuba-san and I return from school. Therefore, another one of my plans is leading Idolish7 to success. Meanwhile, I grow more concerned about Nanase-san. The cold is not good for his health. I find myself worrying about him all day during school. Currently I sit in homeroom avoiding all others as I wonder about him. What could he be doing now? Is he warm? Is he safe? I must make him warm milk with honey when I get home. I wonder if he thinks about me during the day. I wonder about Nanase-san.”

Iori looked down. He had no words to reply to that humiliating paragraph. Instead, he merely cleared his throat. “Ahem. Another one,” He commanded. “Read another one.”

Riku nodded and turned to another page. “March twenty fourth. Nanase-san tripped on nothing today and fell flat on his face. What an idiot. I helped him to the couch and sat with him for about an hour. I suppose my attitude was quite sour as I scolded him to be more careful. Yet truthfully I enjoyed getting to spend time with him alone. I really like when his eyes light up with joy. It makes me happy. So cute.”

Iori trembled. It was then when he realized the truth behind that notebook. It was his escape. His honesty. His girly, girly diary. He covered his face in humiliation, tears coming to his eyes. “Nanase-saannnn!” He sobbed.

“Wait, Iori! Let me skip ahead! Every page is about me! Listen! Listen!” Riku exclaimed. He flipped through the book to one of the more recent entries. And he read aloud. “September twenty first. Kujou Tenn is amazing. He is truly an angel. Every second I spend with him is exhilarating. Yet my conversation with Nii-san today opened my eyes. I have made my decision to cut ties with Kujou-san in order to further my future with Nanase-san. I’ll be meeting him by the Zero Arena tomorrow to finally set him free. Because I belong to one person and one person only. I hope Nanase-san can forgive me when I tell him everything. I wonder when our first kiss will be. I swear to make it as perfect as possible. Nanase-san is not only the center of Idolish7. He is-“

“The center of my heart…” Iori suddenly finished that sentence. It was then when he recalled writing all that. That book was truly a miracle. It was the only thing in existence narrated by Iori’s heart, rather than his mind. He couldn’t handle it anymore and looked up at Riku with tears in his eyes. For the first time ever, Iori Izumi finally felt perfect. “N…N-N…Nana-…s-!” Iori whimpered.

“IORI!” Riku threw his arms around Iori again. He dropped the book, hardly noticing. All that mattered in that moment was being with Iori. He hugged him tenderly, never wanting to let him go. They were finally united again. “That day at the Zero Arena, you were going to break it off with Tenn-nii!” He realized. “You’ve loved me from the very beginning! I forgive you. I forgive you for everything! You just got mixed up in some bad things because you’re so young! But I’ve never stopped loving you!” He cried over Iori’s shoulder. “Iori… Please accept it now. That journal is proof.” He looked into his eyes. “You’re in love with me.”

“Nanase-san…” Iori sniffled. He gazed into Riku’s beautiful eyes. And everything felt perfect. He couldn’t help but glance at Riku’s lips for a moment. They appeared to be so soft and pure. But he got embarrassed, as usual. “Ahem…” Iori pulled away and suddenly stood up. “There’s no point in remaining here any longer. We should go home,” He stated, walking over to the door. “I’ll call the others to pick us up immediately.” He smiled over his shoulder in the doorway. “When we get home, I want you to read that entire book to me. Ok?”

Riku’s heart was soaring. He could finally go home and be with the one he loved! He nodded with ecstasy. “Yes, Iori!” He cheered. “Call everyone! I’ll be here! I love you!” He waved, as the boy he loved briefly exited the room to make the call. The door closed. And Riku was alone. He sighed, laying back onto the bed in exhaustion. Basking in the blissful knowledge that Iori loved him, he put his oxygen mask back on for a moment to relax. “Iori…” He whispered, to himself. His mind was filled with loving thoughts of that perfect boy with silver eyes. Oh how he loved him so much. And he felt so good knowing Iori loved him back. Finally, they could be together. Riku was ready to go home.

A few minutes passed before the door creaked back open. Riku’s eyes sparkled as he yanked his oxygen mask off again. “Iori!” He smiled, sitting up in bed. “Are the others on their way? Can we go home n-!?” He suddenly froze. He was terribly alarmed when he saw the sight in front of him. Everything had happened to fast. And his poor heart was nowhere near prepared.

It wasn’t Iori who had returned to the room.

“Hi Riku…” Said a familiar voice. He locked the door behind him. “It’s been a while…”

"...Tenn-nii...?"


	13. Twins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "This world is a dark place. As idols, it’s our job to make it a little brighter. But even so, there are some hearts out there we will never be able to capture. Yet it remains our job to keep smiling… as if untouched by wandering hands…”

“Tenn-nii…?” Riku whispered, the words barely escaping his lips. He couldn’t believe his eyes. And he couldn’t believe his heart, as it pounded in excitement to see his twin. Trigger’s Kujou Tenn walked right into the hospital room with the calmest expression on his face. It was an expression Riku was very familiar with. He grew up with Tenn after all, constantly clinging to him. He wasn’t just his brother, or even just his twin. Tenn was Riku’s other half. No doubt about it.

                For so long, Riku had missed Tenn. He watched him on TV for years, wondering why his beloved brother had abandoned him to become an idol. He cried himself to sleep for so long. Sometimes, in that very same hospital bed he sat in now. Who would have thought that years later Tenn would walk right through that door as if it were nothing. No words can describe the emotions Riku felt when he looked up and made eyecontact with Tenn. It was like he was looking into his reflection. His better reflection.

                “Hi Riku…” Tenn said softly. After locking the door, he rested his right hand under his chin in his usual position and looked down at Riku with that overly calm expression. “It’s been a while.”

                Riku couldn’t contain his ecstasy. Within seconds, he threw the blankets off his body and jumped up. “TENN-NII!” He cried in pure joy. He tried to run towards his twin, ready to pounce on him and hug him.

                Yet Tenn’s calm expression suddenly turned to one of fury. “RIKU!” He screamed, absolutely horrified. He grabbed his brother’s wrists roughly and pushed him backwards. “Don’t you dare jump up so quickly! You’re in the hospital because you’re hurt! Lay back down so the stress doesn’t cause another respiratory attack!” He ordered, cold words freezing the previously warm atmosphere of their reunion. He was truly worried Riku could get hurt if he pushed himself too much. His motivation was purely to help his brother. Yet his demeanor came off so startling and oppressive. He pushed Riku back onto the bed with an alarmingly aggressive force.

                “A-ah!” Riku gasped, plopping back on the bed. He pouted. “Tenn-nii, I’m fine! Please let me stand! I’m fine, I promise!” He sobbed, desperately trying to get back up.

But Tenn didn’t let go of Riku’s wrists. He continued to push him back towards the bed, forcing him to stay put. “Don’t you dare look at me like that. Lay down! I won’t tolerate you getting hurt!” He screamed.

“Tenn-nii!”

“I said LAY DOWN, RIKU!” Tenn screeched, grabbing Riku’s shoulders and slamming him onto the bed.

“AH!” Riku yelped. It happened so fast. The next thing he knew, he was on his back. And staring up at the stressed face of his brother above him.

Tenn breathed heavily for a moment as he kept his hands clenched on Riku’s shoulders. He tried to catch his breath. Then he let go of him. “Good boy…” Was all he said, grabbing the blankets and tucking his twin in nicely. "Do not disobey me again."

Riku’s head was spinning. Tenn was only trying to care for him. But somehow it was scary. Tenn was so mature compared to Riku. Riku shrunk into his pillow in shame. “I-I’m sorry, Tenn-nii…” He whispered.

Tenn sighed. Hearing Riku’s weak little words made him melt. He couldn’t continue being so cold. He broke down instantly. “No. I’m sorry, Riku…” He trembled, eyes averting to the side. “I’m so sorry all of this happened. It’s my fault. All of it…” He whispered. It wasn’t like Tenn to avoid eye contact like that. He must truly be an emotional wreck.

“Tenn-nii…” Riku whispered. He had been so excited to see his brother, he had almost forgotten the real issue. About Tenn and Iori. A few days ago, Riku was completely heart broken and blamed the two of them for abandoning him. In fact, he had wanted nothing to do with either of them. But after finding Iori’s journal and reading the truth behind the circumstances, he felt so much better. He knew the truth now. What happened wasn’t anyone’s fault. And he was ready to forgive both of them.

He already forgave Iori.

Now it was time to bury the hatchet with Tenn. Perhaps it was something that should have happened a long time ago. 

“Tenn-nii, it’s ok!” Riku exclaimed. “I’m not mad at you! I promise! I know you and Iori love me more than anyone in the wo-!”

“What!? How could you say you’re not mad at me!?” Tenn suddenly interrupted. He tugged at his hair in stress. “Damn it…! I knew this would happen!” He exclaimed, beginning to pace around the room in anger. “You’re pure, Riku. You don’t understand the severity of the situation because you’re so innocent and pure!” He snapped. “If I were you, I wouldn’t hesitate to cut ties with me. I was the selfish one. I hurt you. And I continued to do it like a heartless fiend! I was losing my mind, growing so obsessed with Iori Izu-!” He suddenly froze. The moment he said that name, images of that perfect boy popped into his mind. He shook his head, not wanting to think about Iori in that moment. “Riku. If our roles were reversed, I-“

“If our roles were reversed, I wouldn’t have gone with Kujou-san and left you all those years ago…” Riku changed the subject.

Tenn whirled around, looking at Riku with terror.

“Ah!” Riku gasped, realizing he had said that out loud. “S-sorry! I didn’t mean to say that, Tenn-nii! I’m not mad at you for that! A-anymore! I prom-!”

“So that’s it, huh?” Tenn walked over to Riku’s bedside. He folded his arms and leaned down to him. “All along you’ve been the angel. And I’ve been the monster…”

Riku blinked. He couldn’t believe the beautiful Tenn Kujou was standing so close to him. They were brothers, and he knew Tenn well. But he couldn’t help but get chills seeing one of Japan’s most beloved idols standing so close to him. Tenn was so pretty. Riku had worshipped him on TV for so long. Being so close to him now felt like a dream. “Tenn-nii… You'll always be an angel to me…” He said softly.

Yet those words did more harm than good. Tenn sighed in defeat and sat down in the chair at Riku’s bedside. “No. I am not. That’s just my persona…” He whispered. “The real Kujou Tenn isn’t like that at all. Iori Izumi knows that…”

Riku watched as his brother’s emotions crumbled before him. But the truth was, he really wasn’t mad at Tenn at all. Iori’s journal explained everything- how both Iori and Tenn felt awful for betraying Riku the whole time, and everything was an accident. Sitting up in bed slightly, Riku reached over and placed his hand on Tenn’s leg. “I’m not mad at you, Tenn-nii. I found Iori’s diary. So I know the details of everything…” He admitted. Clearly, Riku was more childish than Tenn. But in that moment, it truly felt like he was the older brother. He comforted his twin with sweet words and gentle touch. He soothed him, reassuring him that everything was ok. “I’m not mad at you, Tenn-nii.”

Tenn looked up, meeting glance with Riku’s ruby eyes. His own eyes were just beginning to tear up. “You read Iori’s diary?” He asked. “Ah. You mean that dark blue notebook. What did it say in it? That idiot better not have written anything stupid."

Riku sighed. "No. His words were beautiful. Iori isn't the best at communicating verbally because he gets so embarassed, but he's really good at writing down what's on his heart..." He explained. “That book told a story about two people who were suffering. Two perfectionists who never dreamed they would be roped into the idol industry. They were both hiding their true selves… and felt lonely…” He explained.

Tenn raised an eyebrow. He recalled the time he almost read Iori's notebook. He had been awfully curious as to what was inside ever since. Perhaps the young boy had written down his pain having to keep the secret of the scandal. Tenn felt awful. "What else did it say?" He demanded to know.

Riku grabbed Tenn’s hands in his and looked deeply into his eyes. “It said you mean a lot to him! You and Iori found refuge in each other! You understood him in ways no one else did. And he listened to you pour your heart out, and be yourself!” He declared. “But Tenn-nii. You weren’t in love with each other.  _You were in love with having someone understand the real you.”_

At those words, Tenn’s entire body froze up. His eyes went dull. And his palms went cold in Riku’s hands. But it wasn’t because shock paralyzed him. It was because the _realization_ hit him. And it hit him harder than a bus. “I was in love with… having someone understand me?” He whispered. _"Th...th-the real me?"_

Riku nodded enthusiastically. In that moment, he felt closer to Tenn than he ever had in his whole life. “All this time, I thought I was the lonely one. I missed you for so long, Tenn-nii. I was sad growing up without you, and seeing you having so much fun performing on TV…” He explained. “But all this time, you were just as lonely as me. Weren’t you?” He titled his head to the side. “Tenn-nii… faking your personality must be lonely..." He looked down. "Did you ever miss me?”

Tenn didn’t hesitate. He looked at Riku with tears in his eyes before grabbing him and yanking him into a hug. Riku squealed. But Tenn was sure to be gentle. He cuddled his brother warmly, stroking his back and nuzzling into him with affection. It was perfect. It was heaven. Almost as if all those years of separation could be made up in one beautiful embrace.

“You really are an idiot…” Tenn whispered, glad Riku couldn’t see his blushing face. “Damn it, Riku. You really haven’t grown up at all, have you?”

“Ehh!? Hey! That’s not true, Tenn-nii! I’m 18 now! I’m an adult, you know!” Riku yelped, over Tenn’s shoulder.

Tenn chuckled, patting Riku’s back. “I know. I’m the same age.” He snickered, pulling away from the hug. He smiled at Riku, so angelically. It was the smile Riku had yearned to see for so long. The precious smile of Trigger’s Kujou Tenn that everyone dreamed to witness. It was all for Riku. “A lot of pressure is put on 18 year olds. It’s quite unfair. They’re still practically children. You and I are hardly more mature than Iori. All three of us are foolish. All three of us are still in our youth…” He sighed.

“Tenn-nii…”

Tenn leaned back in the chair, playing with the long strand of hair on his left side and twirling it between his fingers. “I never meant for everything to escalate, Riku. Know that. Each time I wanted to be alone with Iori, it was purely because I wanted someone to talk to. Someone I could confide in. Someone I could be myself around…” He explained in a monotone voice. “But each time I looked into those gorgeous silver eyes, I…I-I…”

Riku perked up. “Huh? But Tenn-nii, doesn’t Trigger know the real you? Tsunashi-san and Yaotome-san are always there for you. And they’re super nice!” He smiled. “Oh! And Yaotome-san’s eyes are silver too, if that’s what you like!”

Tenn suddenly glared at Riku. “What the hell are you saying?” He hissed, much too harshly.

Riku got nervous. “Uwaah! N-nothing! Just that… you’ve never truly been alone, Tenn-nii! You’ve had Trigger by your side since you were 16. I’m sure they love the real you!”

“Gaku does not love me!” Tenn suddenly shouted, jumping up in fury.

Riku stared at him. “H…huh?”

Tenn blushed, turning away briefly. “You don’t know anything about the inner workings of Trigger, Riku. We are not like Idolish7. We are not friends. We are business partners…” He snapped. “Nothing more.”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“What?”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“You’re staring at me, Riku.”

“H-huh? I mean… That’s what people do when they’re in a conversation, I think?”

Tenn glared at his twin for a moment. Then he sighed and folded his arms. “Very well.”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“Tenn-nii…Do you…” Riku spoke up after a long dead ass silence. “Do you like Yaotome-san?”

Tenn frowned. “Excuse me? I’ve never been quite fond of soba…”

“I didn’t ask about soba! I asked about Yaotome-san!” Riku announced.

Tenn merely glared at his twin with a bored expression. And replied in a monotone voice. “You’re stepping into dangerous territory there, Riku. Watch yourself. Do you really think I’d give information to an idol of Takanashi Productions so easily? I cannot afford another scandal. I am a professional,” He stated calmly. “I am Trigger’s center. Trigger’s Kujou Tenn. And I will not surrender so easily.

“OH MY GOD YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH YAOTOME-SAN ADFKLRTYUJHGFDRTUJKEDF!!!"

“RIKU!!” Tenn shouted.

Riku merely giggled. He could read Tenn so easily. They were twins, after all. He recognized the look in Tenn’s eyes at the mention of Gaku’s name. It was the same love-struck expression Riku made when he thought of Iori. In that moment, all the pieces of the puzzle fell into place.

“Don’t look at me like that…” Tenn commanded, unable to handle the adorable way Riku was beaming at him. “We are not high school girls gossiping at a sleepover. We are grown men, Riku.”

“Aww. But Tenn-nii! You’re the one that said 18 year olds are more like children than adults!” Riku giggled.

Tenn was unamused. Riku had backed him into a corner. And now there was no escape. Yet Tenn was never one to let his confidence be completely obliterated. Especially around Riku. He strived to stay mature around his baby brother. Sighing, he deciding to be honest.

“Perhaps I harbored feelings for him once. But that was a long time ago…” Tenn finally admitted. Blushing in the cutest way, he sighed and walked over to the window. He glanced outside at the view of the city at night. It was so beautiful. Yet somehow, lonely. “People change you know, Riku. Just because someone feels some way one night, doesn’t mean they’ll feel the same by morning. This world is a dark place. As idols, it’s our job to make it a little brighter. But even so, there are some hearts out there we will never be able to capture. Yet it remains our job to keep smiling… as if untouched by wandering hands…”

Riku blinked. “You sound smart like Iori…” He whispered. “Sorry for bringing this up…”

Tenn turned back around. “It’s quite alright.” He walked back over to the hospital bed and ruffled Riku’s hair. “You've wanted to talk to me for so long, haven't you?"

Riku winced as Tenn pet him. It felt nice and he closed his eyes for a moment. "Yes Tenn-nii!" He responded sweetly. "There's still so much I want to talk to you about. So much..."

Tenn nodded. "I know," He replied simply. "Listen, Riku. Whether you've forgiven me or not, I still did a terrible thing. Aside from you, I hurt Iori Izumi. Like a heartless theif, I stole something from him. Something he'll never be able to get back..." He looked down. "Something that should have been yours..."

Riku perked up. It took him a while to figure out what Tenn was refering to. But when he did, his face turned a bright red. "Uwaaaah!"

"Hush," Tenn commanded. He held a single finger to his lips to signal his brother to keep quiet. "It's my turn to talk. I tarnished Iori's youth. And even if you've forgiven me, I don't know if he will."

"Tenn-nii, Iori was never mad at you. He cares about you, really!" Riku defended. He thought about what it could have been like when Iori and Tenn were intimate. Yet someone as innocent as Riku had trouble imagining such things. Not even the journal had provided much detail when it came down to it. Riku shook his head to rid himself of the sinful thoughts. "A-all I want is Iori and Tenn-nii to be happy!" He proclaimed. "More than anything... I want the two people I love the most to be happy. Tenn-nii, I love you!"

Tenn looked at Riku. As an idol, he was used to hearing such phrases. Yet when fans yelled those words from the audience, they were cheering for Tenn's persona. His fake personality. The side of him that didn't exist. Hardly anyone knew the real Kujou Tenn. It was hard. And it was lonely. Yet the most beautiful irony occured as the person Tenn had known his whole life suddenly said those words to him. Riku's love meant more to Tenn than anything else in the world. And in that moment, he finally realized it. 

"I'd like to propose something," Tenn decided, casually. "I know there’s been a mess of drama between you, Iori, and I. But our joined live with both Idolish7 and Trigger in next week. In which we’ll be singing Fure Fure Seishun Senka together…” He recalled.

“Oh yeah… that…” Riku looked down, thinking of all the things that could go wrong when the three of them had to be together.

“Cancelling the live is out of the question since it would disappoint the fans," Tenn clarrified. "But I don’t want there to be any more drama between us. We need to settle everything once and for all." He folded his arms. “You want Iori to be happy. I want Iori to be happy. I propose all three of us go somewhere together and spend the entire day in each other's company. We both do out best to make Iori happy. And by the end of the day... he’ll have to choose between the two of us."

Riku's heart quivered with fright. “We’ll let Iori… choose between us?” He squeaked, nervously. It was a brilliant idea. However, Riku was terrified. What if Iori chose Tenn? What if he chose neither of them? So many things could go wrong if all three of them spent a whole day together. Yet more than anything, Riku desired Iori’s happiness. It was his number one priority. And it was Tenn’s as well. “I’ll do it." Riku extended his hand out. "For Iori!"

Tenn looked down, almost confused for a moment. But then he chuckled. “May the best twin win…” He smirked, shaking his brother’s hand fairly.

Riku smiled. Shaking hands reminded him of Black or White. When he had finally stood on equal ground with his brother. It felt amazing to be equals with the person he had idolized his whole life. Tenn was his brother. His twin. But more than anything, he was his other half. Tomorrow would be a new day. And it hopefully it could put a happy end to the drama. Riku smiled. “But Tenn-nii. Where can we go tomorrow? I want to go somewhere that will make Iori happy.”

Tenn nodded. “Yes. An excellent idea. We’ll call him tomorrow and tell him to meet us at his favorite place on earth.”

Neither twin had to think twice about where that place was. At the same time, they both looked up at each other and spoke in unison.

“The usamimi friends park.”


	14. Usamimi friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Everybody makes mistakes when they’re young. Realizing those mistakes and taking responsibility to correct them is how we grow up."

_I was doing homework in my room when suddenly I received a text from Nanase-san. It was certainly unexpected. Normally I do not resort to my phone while engaging in studies, however this time I made an exception. I was shocked to see his message. It was an instruction. “Iori, meet in front of The Usamimi Friends park at noon.” Short and sweet. Yet lingering with a bitter suspicion. Why on earth would Nanase-san want me to meet him in such a place? My mind is riddled with questions as I write this in my journal. If he wants to talk, why can’t we just talk here at the dorm? Nanase-san and I are on good terms now, are we not? Yotsuba-san is knocking on my door. Journal, I shall return._

_Yotsuba-san asked to copy my homework and I told him no. Back to the subject at hand, I’m debating whether or not to follow through with Nanase-san’s request. I cannot be caught dead at The Usamimi Friends park. However, if it is Nanase-san’s wish to meet there… I cannot refute his wishes…_

 

                The bright sun shimmered in the blue sky when Iori made his way to the amusement park he used to love as a child. He had so many fond memories from the Usamimi Friends park. Yet on his journey there today, all he felt was sickness and knots in his stomach. How embarrassing to go to such a place as a teenager! However, deep down he was excited. It was truly his favorite place on earth, though he would never admit it. He still had no idea why Riku had ordered him to go there. Yet he was about to find out. After entering the gate, he only had to take a few steps in before noticing a familiar red-haired boy standing off to the side.

                “Nanase-san!” Iori called, rushing over to Riku. However, he suddenly froze. He dropped his bag to the ground, and it spilled open. Paralyzed with shock, he remained frozen, staring forwards as if in some sort of trance. He couldn’t believe what he saw next to Riku. Or rather, _who_. “Kujou-san…?”

                Both twins turned around to meet glance with Iori.

Riku smiled in joy. “Hi Iori~!”

Yet Tenn merely sighed, shaking his head. “My, my. It certainly took you long enough to get here,” He stated. “I figured a perfectionist like yourself would be timelier. You’re nearly ten minutes late.” He folded his arms.

                Iori swallowed. Hard. He couldn’t believe Tenn Kujou- the boy he had gotten so infatuated with- the boy he had gotten into a scandal with- the boy he had embraced more times than he could count- was right in front of him. At the Usamimi Friends park. Standing next to Riku.

                “Oh no, Iori! Your bag!” Riku suddenly exclaimed. He rushed down to Iori’s feet to begin cleaning up the spilled bag, putting the belongings back in it before zipping it back up.

                Iori had no idea what the twins had planned. But it made him nervous as hell. “Wh-what’s the meaning of this?” He demanded. “I wasn’t informed K-Kujou-san would be here! Nanase-san, I was lead to believe this would be a photoshoot location, or something…”

                “Eh? Why would you think that?” Riku asked, standing up to hand Iori his bag. “Here you go!”

                “Aw. He stuttered on my name,” Tenn chuckled. He stepped closer to Iori. “How cute.”

                Iori turned red. For some reason he felt humiliated. He was always weak to cute things, primarily the Usamimi Friends. Standing in the middle of his favorite place on earth with the two people he loved the most was somehow… horribly embarrassing. At least, it was for Iori. Any normal person would be thrilled. But Iori was just too soft. uwu.

                “Ahem…” Iori cleared his throat awkwardly. “If you two want to talk, I’d prefer if we do it at Takanashi Productions. It’s more appropriate to be there than this cu- weird place.”

                “No, no, Iori! You don’t understand!” Riku waved his arms around. “We’re not just here to talk. We genuinely want to spend time with you! Let’s have fun at your favorite place on earth, ok? Like a date!” he smiled brightly.

                “D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D-ATE9F6DH5SKE628GRJEHGQBP8G-!” Iori.exe stopped working.

                “What he means to say is…” Tenn covered Riku’s mouth to silence his brother.

“Mph!”

“We want to make you happy, Iori. Forget about the past. If the three of us want to move forward, we must rid ourselves of discomfort around one another,” Tenn clarified. He took a deep breath. “We’ll have fun today. Playing and running around in usamimi nonsense. And by the end, we want you to make a decision for us. Choose, Iori. We want you to choose who you love between Riku and I,” He affirmed. “You must decide once and for all. It’s only fair.”

Iori’s eyes widened. “You want me… to choose?”

Riku nodded, stepping closer to his ex-boyfriend. “No matter what, we’re all friends. Ok, Iori?” He smiled faintly. “I promise this is the healthiest way to repair the past. You won’t hurt anyone with your decision. In fact, you’ll hurt us if you _don’t_ choose…” He looked down. “Please, Iori! More than anything, we want you to be happy! Today is for you. So please… Promise you’ll spend time with us and then choose by the end of the day!”

Iori’s heart fluttered. He couldn’t believe his ears. The two most precious people to him (besides Mitsuki) we begging to spend time with him. For so long, he had been avoiding the twins. Clinging to Tenn while he pushed Riku away, then running to Riku while he hid from Tenn. Yet the drama was finally over. All three boys knew they had made mistakes. And now it was time to move on, patching up scars of the past.

“Perhaps this is an intelligent idea…” Iori decided, placing a hand on his chin. “Spending today with both of you will help me make the final decision. However…” He frowned. “Why must we spend the day here at the Usamimi Friends park!? Why!? Whose idea was this!? It’s not like I enjoy this stuff or anything!”

“Tsundere…” Tenn sighed.

Riku pouted. “Oh come on, Iori! We know you love the Usamimi Friends! You like the dark blue rabbit the most!” He grabbed Iori’s right arm.

Tenn nodded. “I believe his name is Roppu. And you love him.” He grabbed Iori’s left arm. “There’s no use lying to us, Iori. Riku and I know you so well…” He smirked.

“Ah!” Iori gasped, seeing the position he was in. Riku was clinging to his right arm and Tenn was on his left. His heart raced, as he realized he was living the twin fantasy so many people desired. Somehow it felt like he had two girlfriends. Blushing madly, he sighed in defeat. “Alright, alright. We can spend the day here. Now please unhand me this instant!”

“Iori is flustered~!” Riku giggled.

“Cute,” Tenn chuckled. “Very cute.”

“Uwaah!” Iori sobbed. He felt like he had an angel on one side and a demon on the other. Which one was which, he honestly didn’t know. Both of them deserved one last chance to earn his affection. He sighed, submitting to the cuteness of the twins. “Let’s just get this over with…”

Riku’s face lit up, eyes sparkling like rubies. “Yay!” He cheered. “Let’s go to the carnival games first! And then the bumper cars, the roller coaster- oh! And don’t forget the adorable Usamimi gift shop!”

Tenn nodded. “There is much to do. Walk faster.”

“Hey!” Iori yelled, as the brothers began dragging him off.

“Ahaha!” Riku giggled. “Let’s go~! Go go! On your dreams!”

**_  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _ **

The twins succeeded in dragging Iori around for the majority of the day. And truly, the group of three had much fun together. From winning a Roppu keychain at the ball toss, to crashing into each other with bumper cars, the boys tried to do as many exciting activities together as they could. It was fun. And special. Yet they couldn’t help but feel a sense of despair in the atmosphere. Each one of them had something heavy weighing on their heart.

Iori. He was so conflicted. He had loved Riku for so long. Yet Tenn came into his life and brought out a side of him he never knew existed. Tenn cared for him, supported him, and showered him with affection both physically and emotionally. No one had ever done that for Iori before. Yet Riku was always the one who drove him crazy with cuteness and made him blush more than anyone else. Iori’s mind was spinning with a million thoughts. He had never felt so conflicted in his life.

Tenn. Tenn wanted to clear up the drama between everyone before Trigger’s joint live with Idolish7 next week. Tenn, Riku, and Iori would all have to sing Fure Fure Seishun Senka together. And the last thing they needed was their relational drama to cause a visible dilemma during the show. Of course, Tenn couldn’t handle that. It would inconvenience the fans. And everyone knows Kujou Tenn would rather die than inconvenience his fans. He was the one who suggested spending time together today. And for the first time in his life, Tenn didn’t feel confident. He had no idea who Iori would choose in the end. But he did know who he wished would be choosen.

Riku. The boy who could brighten anyone’s day with his adorable voice and precious smile. He was simply so cute, he could even melt the icy hearts of Iori Izumi and Tenn Kujou. He loved Iori and Tenn more than anyone in the world. Yet perhaps that’s why it hurt so badly when they betrayed him. Nonetheless, he was ready to move on. He wanted to be healthy- that’s all he’s ever wanted. He forgave Tenn. He forgave Iori. But for some reason, he couldn’t forgive himself. Riku was having quite the internal struggle. He felt like he had been a terrible boyfriend to Iori when they were together- neglecting him, refusing to hold hands, and practically avoiding him simply because he was so nervous about getting lovey-dovey. He began to wonder if that’s why Iori cheated on him. Perhaps it was Riku’s fault. That was how he saw it, anyway. In Riku’s mind, there was no way Iori would choose him in the end. Iori would be a fool not to pick Tenn. After all, who would choose a monster over an angel?

 

After going on a few more rides, the intense sun was really getting to everyone. Riku suggested they take a break to sit and get ice cream. Sitting in the shade with a sweet treat sounded delightful.

“This is delicious!” Riku giggled, licking his ice cream happily. “Iori, Iori! What flavor did you get?”

“Nanase-san, please use a napkin,” Iori ordered. “I got cookies and cream.”

 _ **“IOREOS!”** _ Riku yelled.

“What?”

“What?”

“What?”

“What flavor did you get? Nanase-san? Kujou-san?” Iori inquired.

“Strawberry!” The twins replied, in perfect unison.

Riku gasped. Tenn gasped. The two brothers looked at each other in utter shock. Then both smiled, and began laughing.

“Ahaha! You got strawberry too, Tenn-nii? Uwahh, that makes me so happy!” Riku giggled. “We’re the same!”

“My my, it’s certainly been a while since we’ve spoken in unison, Riku. I’m impressed,” Tenn chuckled. He sighed and returned to his ice cream. “We used to do that all the time as children. Back in our youth…”

There was a moment of silence.

Then Riku spoke up again. “W-we’re still in our youth, you know! Right, guys? Right?” He looked back and forth between Iori and Tenn. When he received no reply, he felt his heart sink. “Guys…”

Neither Tenn nor Iori spoke. Both of them avoided eye contact with Riku. Perhaps they were thinking the same thing in that moment. They were too scared to reply.

                Their youth had been tarnished.

                It was then when Riku realized how different he was from Iori and Tenn. They were so much more responsible and intelligent. He felt so insignificant next to them. They were mature. And he was but a child stuck in his youth. “I-I have to go to the bathroom!” He suddenly jumped up. “Excuse me!” he ran off before anyone could stop him.

                Iori finally looked up when Riku tried to leave. “N…Nanase-san!” He called. He prepared to stand up and chase after his idolmate. Yet he was yanked back by a sudden pull on his wrist. “Nana- ah!”

                “Stop, Iori.” Tenn commanded, grabbing the younger male’s arm and holding him back. “Give Riku time to calm down. It’s what he needs. Unlike you, I always know what he needs…” He hissed. “If you’re smart, you won’t suffocate him. Don’t make him take his inhaler more than he needs to…”

                Iori growled, yanking away from Tenn. “How dare you. You devil!” He violently turned around to face Tenn. “Ah.” He froze, when he made eye contact with him. For a moment, he had almost forgotten how beautiful Tenn was. He had practically avoided eye contact with him the whole morning. Yet once he met glance with those perfect pink lips he had kissed countless times, all those passionate memories came flooding back.

                “I apologize for raising my voice…” Iori whispered. He sat back down in defeat. And stared at his ice cream in despair. He felt so lost and confused.

                Tenn noticed instantly. He could read Iori like a book. It had been a while since the two of them had been alone together. And normally, only one thing could happen when they were alone. Without hesitation, Tenn swiftly scooted closer to the other male. “Don’t apologize,” he ordered. “You’re the one who’s distressed. Correct? Are you going to cry?”

                Iori looked up. Although he came off as such a mature and strong person, he was truly so soft. uwu. “I-I’m not going to cry!!” He exclaimed, mortified by Tenn’s inquiry. “I am not a child, Kujou-san! You of all people should know that!”

                Tenn sighed. “That wasn’t meant to come off as teasing. I’m asking with seriousness. If you need to cry, it’s ok…” He said softly. Wanting to comfort the other male, he slowly reached down and placed his hand on Iori’s. It was the most gentle and soothing gesture. The moment their hands touched, sparks flew.

Iori felt warmth surge through him, and looked down at their touching hands with longing. He had touched that angelic skin so many times. He had kissed it, marked it, and claimed it as his. As they touched now, he couldn’t deny that there was a connection. However, he didn’t know what that connection was. Poor Iori had no name for the emotion he felt in that moment. Friendship? Hatred? Love?

 “I’m serious,” Tenn reiterated. He looked up into Iori’s eyes. “I know this is hard on you. If you need to cry, I’m here for you. You can rest your head on my shoulder and I’ll listen to your every word…” Perhaps it was the kindest thing he had ever said. “I’d do anything for you, Iori…”

Iori could only make eye contact for a moment before sighing and pulling his hand away. “I refuse to cry,” He stated. “I’m just worried. I don’t want to hurt you or Nanase-san with my decision. The sun will set in just a few hours! What if I don’t know who to choose!?”

“Iori.” Tenn reached up and gently caressed the side of Iori’s cheek. “Don’t give me that tone. You’re the perfect Iori Izumi… _Idolish7’s_ Iori Izumi…” He emphasized. “You’ll know who to pick. In fact, you already know. The answer lies within your heart. Listen to it for once, rather than your analytical brain.” He poked a finger onto Iori’s chest. “You’ve loved him since the start. _He’s your other half.”_

Iori eyes widened. He quickly glanced down to see Tenn poking his chest. “My other half…” He echoed.

“I want to thank you, Iori…” Tenn whispered. He took a deep breath before continuing. “Aside from being the biggest problem of my life, you really are more than just another business partner to me.”  
  
“Um. Thanks, I guess??”  
  
“Shut up. I’m praising you,” Tenn hissed. “You became my friend. My confidante. The person I turned to when I felt lonely and needed to get my emotions out. You were there for me in my time of need, Iori...” He drifted off. “You came into my life when I was at my absolute lowest. You helped me when I was so empty and broken…”  
  
It was at those strange words in which Iori looked back up with curiosity. He stared at Tenn in shock. And suspicion. “Kujou-san... This mysterious person who broke your heart... was it-?”  
  
“I’m not talking about him right now,” Tenn interrupted. He gazed deeply into Iori’s silver eyes. Those eyes he loved so much. “Listen to me, Iori. No matter who you choose, the three of us will remain friends. You won’t hurt anyone with your decision. Because we care about each other so deeply. You, me, Riku...” He explained. “And more than anything… _I want you and Riku to be happy._ Understand?”  
  
“You want Nanase-san and I… to be happy…” Iori echoed Tenn’s words again. In that moment, it clicked with him. And soon, our lovely little Iori Izumi was smiling. He blushed, beaming in the most precious way. Like a happy child in his paradise at the Usamimi Friends park. “Thank you, Kujou-san. That means a lot coming from you.”  
  
Tenn chuckled, glad Iori received the message. “Sell my advice to the media and I’ll burn Takanashi Productions to the ground~” He smirked, saying something quite similar to the comment he had made the day Iori and him had their first kiss.   
  
The two laughed for a moment before composing themselves. They were truly so similar. After sitting in the sun for a moment, Iori turned to Tenn once more.   
  
“W-want some of my ice cream?” He offered, sweetly. He extended his hand to Tenn, offering him a taste of the cone he held. He was blushing so adorably.  
  
Of course, Tenn couldn’t resist. “You think the super star Kujou Tenn, Trigger’s center, Japan’s little angel, the idol who will surpass the legendary Zero…….. wants to lick off your filthy ice cream cone?” He raised an eyebrow.

Iori blushed more. “I-I was only offering! Don’t get the wrong ide-!”

“I’d love to.” Tenn chuckled as he grabbed Iori’s wrist. He pulled his arm in so he could taste the ice cream. He ran his tongue up it, closing his eyes in bliss. He didn’t mean to look so pretty. But he was absolutely gorgeous.

Iori blinked. He was completely frozen, watching Tenn in a trance as he elegantly licked the ice cream in his hand. He looked like a cat. Iori’s weakness. He was absolutely mesmerized.

“Ahh, I’m back!! Sorry that took so long, guys! There was a big line at the bathrooms!” Riku exclaimed, running back to join the group. “Ah.” He stopped, seeing what his ex-boyfriend and brother were doing. “I…I’m sorry…” He looked away, flustered.

Tenn’s eyes fluttered open when he heard his twin’s voice. He quickly pulled away from Iori to compose himself, licking the remainder of ice cream off his lips with the back of his hand. “M-my apologizes…”

“Nanase-san!” Iori gasped, jumping up. He saw the look of despair in Riku’s eyes. He knew the younger twin was heartbroken by what he had witnessed. As quickly as he could, he ran to the nearest trashcan and threw the cone away. “Th-that’s enough. It’s getting late and the park will be closing soon. I suppose we have time for one last activity. What would you guys like to do?”

Tenn looked at his brother. “You choose, Riku.”

Riku was looking down. But he looked up when Tenn called his name. “M-me? Um! Let’s…” He tried to think. He had to think of something, and fast. He had just suffered a meltdown in the bathroom, having to take his inhaler three whole times to calm down. It was so hard to hold back tears. Internally, Riku was struggling. He had absolutely no faith in himself, and was convinced Iori would choose Tenn.

It was his last chance to sway Iori, and earn his affection. He had to make it count. He nervously blurted out the first thing that came to mind. “Th-the ferris wheel!” He announced. “Um! Let’s…let’s go to the ferris wheel!”

  ** _~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_**

                The sun had set by the time the boys arrived at their final destination: the Usamimi ferris wheel. After waiting in line for a few minutes, they were ushered onto the ride and took their seats. The order they sat in was Tenn, Iori, then Riku. Iori was practically having a heart attack as he was squished between the two adorable twins. Holy shit. It was just so CUTE!!!!

                The ride took off and they were lifted into the air.

                “Wow!” Riku looked around with optimism. His red eyes sparkled as he observed his surroundings. “You can see the whole park from up here! Tenn-nii, look! Iori, look!” He giggled.

                “Nanase-san, do not hang over the side like that!” Iori commanded. He quickly grabbed Riku’s waist and yanked him back down, making him sit. “That’s awfully dangerous. Stay in your seat to remain safe.”

                “Uwah!” Riku gasped as Iori grabbed his waist. It had happened so fast. And he felt Iori’s hands leave him in a matter of seconds. Yet they were the best seconds of his entire day. “Sorry…” he sighed. Iori was always protective of Riku. And Riku cherished that. He was tempted to lean over the side again, just so he could feel Iori grab him once more. But even he knew that was a bit too reckless.

                Tenn watched as Iori and Riku interacted. He rarely got to see them interact, and was curious to see how Iori really treated his little brother. Soon, their cart had made it to the top of the ferris wheel. Beneath them, they could see the entire park lit up. Since it was nighttime, the vibrant illuminations below them sparkled brighter than ever. It was truly paradise from above. Tenn chuckled. “I wonder how Iori was like coming here as a kid. He was probably too afraid to ride something this tall.”

                Horrified by the older twin’s sudden comment, Iori glared at Tenn in shock. “Huh!?” He yelled, blushing brightly. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

                Riku burst out laughing. “Haha! I bet Iori was really cute as a kid! I can imagine him clinging to Mitsuki-san’s legs and begging to go to the gift shops rather than the roller coasters!” He giggled.

                Iori frowned, as he was now being mocked on both sides. “I did no such thing. Ask Nii-san! I never begged to enter that cu- weird gift shop!” He lied. Folding his arms stubbornly, he pouted in the most adorable way.

                Both twins laughed, absolutely loving Iori’s reaction. He really was adorable, whether he knew it or not. A moment of silence passed as their laughter died down. Everyone enjoyed the view as their cart made another round around the wheel. It was calm. Relaxing. Almost as if the harsh reality of their pasts had all been a dream. Everything was at peace. Then, suddenly:

                _CRASH! BOOM! BOOM!_ Fireworks suddenly ignited in the sky, exploding the atmosphere in a colorful array of dazzling light. The designs in the sky were beautiful. However, terribly startling.

                “AAAAH!” Riku yelped, grabbing onto Iori’s arm for safety. He was so scared by the initial noise, he reacted without thinking. Soon, he was burying his face in Iori’s arm, clinging to him for dear life.

                “Nanase-san!” Iori gasped. “Are you an idiot!? It’s just the firewo-…” He paused when he saw how Riku was trembling. He looked so cute holding onto his right arm like that. “Ah.” Iori froze.

                “Do you have your inhaler?” Tenn asked, leaning over to check on his brother. “If you’re too afraid, I can call out to the workers to stop the ride and let us off.”

                Riku suddenly realized what he was doing. He was practically hugging Iori. “S-sorry! Ahh! I’m sorry, Iori!” He pulled away nervously. He giggled, trying to cover his embarrassment. “That noise was just so sudden! Haha! I’m fine, I promise!”

                Iori was incredibly flustered. He wouldn’t admit it, but he liked being clung to. When he was little, he always held onto Mitsuki like that when he was scared. But now, it was nice to have someone clinging to him. He wanted to protect someone like his older brother had done for him.

                Tenn couldn’t help but feel somewhat envious. He wanted Riku to cling to him, instead of Iori. Yet he couldn’t reach his brother with the current position in which they sat. He growled and folded his arms. “Watch yourself...” He hissed.

                “Huh?” Iori blinked, not sure who Tenn was jealous of.

                _BOOM! CRASH!_ More fireworks began to verberate in the sky. Riku jumped again, but handled it better. He looked up at the sky, eyes sparkling at the gorgeous fireworks.

                “Wow…” He whispered, admiring the view.

                Iori looked at Riku. And instantly, his heart began to pound. The dazzling fireworks were reflected in Riku’s ruby red eyes. It made his eyes sparkle in that most beautiful way. He looked so pretty. Iori had never seen anything so beautiful in his life. He found himself staring at Riku, as Riku continued to gaze at the sky. 

                “So pretty…” Riku sighed, at the fireworks.

                “Y-Yes…” Iori whispered.

                _SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECH!!_ The ferris wheel suddenly came to an abrupt stop, slamming on the breaks. Other passengers screamed in alarm as the entire ride suddenly ceased working. Riku screamed as well.

                “AHHH! Wh-what!? What happened!?” He shrieked, in utter fear.

                _BOOM! BOOM!_ The fireworks continued to crash in the sky. It was louder than ever now. Their cart had stopped at the very stop of the ferris wheel. And now they were stuck in the sky.

                “The ride malfunctioned!” Tenn realized, looking down to see the commotion. He saw park workers scrambling around, desperately trying to figure out how to solve the problem. He bit his lip. “It appears we’ll be stuck here for a while.”

                “Huh!? A while!? How long is a while!?” Riku yelped, petrified.

                “No longer than a few minutes. Calm down. Take a deep breath,” Tenn commanded.

                Riku began hyperventilating. He wasn’t scared of heights, or fireworks. But the combination of the two, plus the fear of being trapped on the ride was enough to terrorize him. “Ah! Haah! Ahh, aah!” He clenched onto his chest, desperately trying to breath. “I-!”

                _CRASH! CRASH! CRASH!_ The loudness of the fireworks only persisted.

                “KYAAAA!” Riku covered his face with his hands. He trembled frantically, drowning in anxiety. Tears came to his eyes. He felt so scared and helpless.

                “Nanase-san!”

                _BOOM! CRASH!_

                Within a matter of seconds, Riku suddenly felt warmth envelope him. Although the fireworks persisted, to him it sounded like the harsh noises faded away. He slowly reopened his eyes. And found himself in Iori’s arms. He was calmed. Soothed. And comforted in the gentlest way. In that moment, it felt like he and Iori were the only people on earth. He melted into his arms, burying his face in Iori’s chest to thank him for the comfort. Still crying, he suddenly said something without thinking:

                “I love you, Iori…”

                _CRASH!_

                Tenn glared over at the intimate scene. Seeing Iori cuddle Riku shocked him. For as long as he could remember, he was the one protecting Riku. In his mind, no one could ever love Riku as much as him. However, for the first time, Tenn began to question that.

                In the past, Tenn thought Iori was bad for Riku. He thought Iori forced Riku to sing and made him push himself beyond his limits. Yet in that moment, he realized something. His little Riku had grown up. Iori had taken Tenn’s place as Riku’s guardian. And perhaps Tenn was ok with that.

                “Ah…” Riku relaxed in Iori’s arms. The warmth of his body and scent of his clothes calmed him down. He quickly reached into his bag and took out his inhaler. He took it once, before fully coming to his senses. “Ahh…th-thank you…Iori…”

                The fireworks continued to roar in the sky. Yet Iori never let go of Riku. “Shh, shh. Keep your head on my chest,” He ordered, pressing his body against Riku’s. He ran his fingers through Riku’s red hair, stroking him peacefully. “Listen to my heartbeat. And the rhythm of my breathing. Breathe along with me, Nanase-san…follow my lead…”

                “Y-yes…ah!” Riku’s breathing stammered a bit. Yet as he closed his eyes and concentrated, all he could hear was Iori’s heart. His breathing pattern matched up with his. So perfectly. Like they were harmonizing.

                “That’s it…Nanase-san…” Iori whispered in his ear. He rubbed his hand up and down Riku’s arm. “Feel better?”

                “You’re controlling me…” Riku whispered. He sighed. “Feels good…”

                “Good,” Iori replied, glad Riku had calmed down.

                _BOOM! CRASH! BOOM!_ The fireworks rumbled. The ferris wheel was still stuck. However, Riku was no longer afraid. He pulled away from Iori, blushing deeply. He was ready to breathe on his own.

                Tenn smiled, almost sadly. “I see. You don’t need me anymore Riku...” He realized. “Fufu. I was right all along.“

                “Ehhhh!? What do you mean, Tenn-nii!? Of course I need you!” Riku snapped.

                “Nanase-san, don’t shout! You’ll get worked up again!”

                “You’re shouting too, Iori!”

                “I am shouting because you are shouting!”

                “Well I’m shouting because you’re shouting!”

                “You started it!”

                “SHUT UP!” Tenn snapped, slicing through the ridiculousness of the younger boys. Normally, he would fold his arms and arrogantly give a speech about how improper it is to have a petty argument. However, he didn’t scold this time. Instead, he suddenly smiled. And against all odds, he began to laugh. “Haha…ahaha!”

                Riku leaned over, watching his brother. He couldn’t believe Tenn was laughing so joyfully like he use to as a child. “Tenn-nii?” He squeaked. “Are you… are you ok? You’re laughing!” he smiled. “Haha! Tenn-nii is laughing!” He began to laugh too, out of happiness.

                Iori awkwardly sat there for a moment as both twins giggled on either side of him. He sunk down in his seat shyly, unable to handle how cute it was. Yet soon, the laughter died down.

                “Ha! S-sorry… my apologizes!” Tenn wiped his tears away. He sighed, nostalgically. “I'm just happy for Riku..." He sighed. "Sorry."

                Riku pouted, unaware of what was going through his brother’s head. “Tenn-nii… You don’t have to apologize anymore. No one does!” He changed the subject. “From the bottom of my heart, I don’t blame you guys for what happened. None of it was intentional. We’re all in our youth, you know!” He declared, throwing his hands up in excitement. “Haha! Everybody makes mistakes when they’re young. Realizing those mistakes and taking responsibility to correct them is how we grow up… Every day, we mature a little more. Getting smarter. More trustworthy…” He sighed. “You two messed up. Yeah. But the important thing is you apologized, and did everything in your power to make it right. I cherish that!” He smiled at his brother and crush. “I admire you guys so much. I really love you!”

                Tenn couldn’t believe it. He never thought he’d hear Riku say something so enlightening. “Riku…” He whispered.

                Iori’s heart fluttered. Riku’s words really touched him. “Nanase-san, don’t think Kujou-san and I are the only ones who have matured. You’ve grown up a lot as well…” He informed. He blushed. “Ahem. D-don’t get me wrong. You’re still very clumsy and carefree. But you’re different from the boy I met at Idolish7’s auditions on day one. I’m very proud of the person you’ve become. And I just know you’ll continue to shine brighter.”

                Riku looked at Iori. It was rare he received praise. It meant the world to him, and he only fell in love with him a thousand times over. “Thanks, Iori…”

                _BOOM!_

                After the final explosion of fireworks, the ferris wheel started back up again. Their cart began its final decent to the ground.

                “Uwah! It’s working again!” Riku exclaimed. “Tenn-nii! Iori! The scary part is over!” He cheered

                As their ferris wheel cart made its way to the bottom, Tenn leaned back and gazed at the sky. He smiled. “Yes. The scary part is finally over…” He sighed, dreamily. The stars were beautiful. Even more beautiful than the fireworks. He closed his eyes and basked in the radiant glory. “Perhaps we’re all childish deep down…” He sighed. Somehow, he felt like a father giving his daughter off to her prince charming. He was so happy. “But that’s what makes youth interesting.”

                Riku looked over at his brother and smiled. “Let’s stay in our youth forever!” He cheered.

                Iori rolled his eyes. “Nanase-san, we can’t do that…”

                “Aww! Why not, Iori!?”

                “Eh? B-Because! Are you an idiot!?”

                “Uwaaaah!”

                Tenn chuckled. “Some people say being young is the time to have fun and be reckless. But not Iori Izumi~”

**_  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _ **

                After getting off the ferris wheel, an announcement rang through the park. There were five minutes left before everything would close. The last few people in the area began heading for the exit. Children cried, begging their parents to stay longer. And couples laughed, exiting the park while holding hands and walking on. Growing up is such a funny thing.

                Iori felt his heart pounding. With each step he took toward the exit, he felt anxiety constrict him even more. He knew that as soon as he stepped out of the park, it would be time to make his decision. “Today was so fun! We should do this more often!” Riku laughed, as the three boys stepped out of the park. They stood at the front, adjacent to the big Usamimi Friends entrance sign. “Can we do this again next weekend? Let’s invite the rest of Idolish7 and Trigger too!”

                Tenn sighed. “Riku, you know why we can’t do that. It would certainly cause a scene.”

                Iori cleared his throat. “Ahem.” He coughed gently into his fist before facing both of the twins. “The night is coming to an end. I’d like to thank both of you for spending time with me today. Even if it was humiliating…”

                Tenn smiled. “Don’t lie, Iori. We know you’ll be cuddling your Roppu plushie in bed tonight~”

                “Kujou-san!”

                “That’s funny, Tenn-nii! Ha! Iori is so cute!”

                “Nanase-san!”

                “Hehe…” Tenn chuckled mischievously. He grinned at the other boys. “Well then, it is now the moment we’ve all be waiting for. You’re no longer the pathetic little boy who forgot to sing at Mufest, Iori,” He chuckled. “Have you made your decision?”

                Iori took a deep breath. All attention fell to him. He looked at Tenn. Then at Riku. Then back at Tenn. “I have,” He replied. Although he had full confidence in his answer, he was still nervous about proclaiming it. He was practically having to make a love confession, after all. Announcing who he loved wouldn’t be easy. “I care about you both so much. Thank you for being patient with me,” he said sweetly. “I…I don’t have many friends. Before becoming an idol, I was just the socially inept, hopeless wallflower in the back of my classroom… No one liked me… Everyone was scared of me for my intelligence… And I was so, so lonely…”

                Riku and Tenn watched with wide eyes as Iori got everything off his chest. It was such a deep, special moment. They would remember this for the rest of their lives.

                “Idolish7 made me a better person. I worked hard. I finally had a way to put my intelligence to good use. But most importantly, I made friends…” Iori looked down shyly. “I just wanted to say… Th-thank you!” he suddenly bowed before the twins. It felt very awkward, even if he was younger than them. “Thank you so much for being the first people…b-besides Nii-san… to love me!”

                “Iori…” Riku whispered, in shock.

                Tenn smiled. “Of course, Iori.”

                Taking a deep breath to relax from his embarrassment, Iori slowly looked back up. “I have no intention of repeating my sins of the past. Are you ready for my decision?”

                Tenn nodded. “Ready as I’ll ever be,” He sighed.

                Riku’s eyes sparkled. He held his hands over his heart. “I’ve waited for you for so long, Iori…”

                “I know,” Iori nodded. “And I apologize. There will be no waiting any longer. Here is my decision…” He clenched his hands into fists. He slowly looked up. And he smiled. Fearlessly. “The one I choose…is…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CLIFFFFFFFFFFFFFHANGERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!  
> Omg i'm just the queen of dramatic cliffhangers arent i?? HAHA i feel like this fic has been full of em! ;D  
> OKAAAAAAY so! Sorry it took me so long to update guys ahhhh ahahahaha. I was in a musical, got a job, got into college, etc, so uh yeah i've bene busy lol. But i hope you enjoyed this update! Imaginging the fure fure unit running around at an amusement park is just adorable to me XD. I imagine Iori tried to drive his bumper car around without hitting anything (because he's all perfectionist and shit) and RIKU JUST KEEPS RUNNING INTO HIM BANG BANG BANG HAHAHAHA. "NANASE-SANNNNNN!"  
> lolololololol. So yeah! I hope yall like my story~ Thanks for reading for this long, if you did~ THERE IS ONLY ONE CHAPTER LEFT!! And I absolutely promise i will have it uploaded as soon as possible!!! Please be excited for the grand finale because i'll wrap it up beautifully with a cute little bow for you, my loves!!  
> Stay tuned for the last chapter! I love you!


	15. Anthem

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> asdfghjk fuck this chapter is so long omg im sorry hahahaha  
> pLEASE ENJOY!!! THIS IS IT!!!  
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
> "For the record, you’re allowed to be bisexual. You’re just not allowed to love anyone more than me.”

Happy days begin like sad ones. You get out of bed and practice smiling in the mirror.

In his dressing room, Tenn sat in front of his studio mirror and examined his makeup. Of course, the makeup team had done a wonderful job of contouring his angelic face and bringing out the pink of his rosy lips. However, he was a perfectionist, and never went on stage without verifying that everything was the best it could be. Examining his right cheek, he tucked the long strand of hair behind his ear. Then he paused.

His reflection always reminded him of someone else.

“Riku…” He whispered. He slowly reached out and touched the mirror. He wondered what his twin saw when he looked in the mirror. Did he see Tenn the same way Tenn saw Riku?

“I hope you’re content with Iori’s decision…”

 _Click._ The door to the dressing room suddenly flew open. Tenn jumped in fright. The next thing he knew, a man entered his room.

                “Tenn.” A familiar voice boomed, followed by the close and lock of the door. “I thought I’d find you here.”

                Tenn didn’t have to turn around to see who it was. He’d recognize that deep voice anywhere. Plus, he could see everything in the reflection of the mirror before him.

                “Gaku…” He growled, making eye contact through the mirror. He sighed like a diva. “I don’t believe I gave you permission to enter my dressing room. Don’t make me call security.”

                Gaku merely rolled his eyes at Tenn’s wit. “Shut up. I’m just here to check on you,” He replied, walking closer to the other boy. “You doing ok?”

                At those strange words, Tenn raised an eyebrow. Curiously, he turned around in his seat to face his idolmate for real. “Check on me?” he repeated, in utter confusion. “What does that mean? I can’t recall a time when you’ve _ever_ checked on me. Why are you really here?” He folded his arms. “Did your papa order you to retrieve me?”

                Gaku clenched his hands into fists. He hated when Tenn spoke in that condescending voice. “Hell no! I don’t listen to what that bastard says,” he replied. He looked at Tenn with a serious expression. “I’m just here to check on you. We only have an hour before we need to be on stage. Are you sure you can handle it today?”

                Tenn’s expression turned sour. He suddenly understood what was going on. “How dare you!” He jumped up from his seat. “Since when am I, Kujou Tenn, unable to handle a simple performance!? Today is the joint live between Trigger and Idolish7. Our fans have been looking forward to this day all year. I’d rather die than disappoint them,” he snapped. “Perhaps an amateur like you wouldn’t understand. I never disappoint my fans. Now go back upstairs. I’ll be there when I need to be on standby.” He turned around and walked back to the mirror.

                Those fervent words pierced Gaku’s ego. Furious, he stormed up to the younger male. “That’s not what I meant!” he snapped. He grabbed Tenn’s arm from behind and prevented him from taking another step. “I didn’t ask about the fans. I asked about you. You can drop the act, already. God damn it, drop it!” he ordered, voice booming. “I know what happened, Tenn. And I’m here because I want details…” He commanded. “That article was real, wasn’t it? Something happened between you and Idolish7’s Izumi Iori. I want to know what he did to you and I want to know now.”

                Tenn merely chuckled. He removed Gaku’s hand from his shoulder and turned to face him, effortlessly. “Unfortunately, it’s none of your concern what I do in my free time.” He smirked. “After all, we aren’t friends, Gaku. We’re business partners. Nothing more.”

                Gaku glared at Tenn, grinding his teeth together in fury. “You better tell me right now,” he ordered. “Tenn. Are you two a couple?”

**_ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _ **

                “UWAAAAH!” Riku tripped over nothing, suddenly falling flat onto the floor. “Oof.”

                “Nanase-san!” Iori called. He rushed down to Riku’s side to help him get up. “Please be more careful. The last thing we need is you getting hurt before our performance today,” he informed. “Are you alright? Do you hurt anywhere?”

                Riku merely giggled as Iori helped him stand. He clung to Iori’s arm happily. “I’m fine, hehe! I’m fine, Iori!” He announced. “Sorry. I’m just so excited for today! Getting to perform along side Tenn-nii is my dream. And today that dream will be a reality!”

                Iori sighed, making sure Riku was stable on his feet before letting go. “I’m glad,” he replied. “But don’t let your yearning for Kujou-san get out of hand. We must keep it a secret that you’re brothers, after all. If the media tried to hurt you, Nanase-san…I don’t know what I’d do…” He looked down. A million thoughts raced through his mind.

                Riku perked up, recognizing that look on Iori’s face. He pouted. “Iori~! You’re making that expression again! That’s your analytical face!” He proclaimed, pointing at the other boy in irritation. “Quit analyzing things! Today is gonna be great! Ryu, Sogo, and Tamaki will sing Love&Game! And Gaku, Yamato, Mitsuki, and Nagi will sing Matsuri! And it’ll finally be our turn to sing Fure Fure Seishun Senka with Tenn-nii! Aren’t you excited!?” he begged, grabbing Iori’s hands and holding them in his. “I’ll treasure this day forever because I’ll get to stand on stage with my two most important people. I will absolutely do my best for you, Iori. Will you do your best for me too?” His eyes sparkled with joy,

                Iori swallowed as Riku held his hands. They felt so small and warm. So cute. Sighing, he pulled away. “We’re going to be late if we don’t leave now. The others are already at the venue,” he informed. “Come on, Nanase-san. It’s time to go.”

                Riku snickered at how cute Iori was when embarrassed. He always adored that side of him. “I love you, Iori~!” He cheered, skipping after the other male.

**_ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _ **

                “Oh? So you’ve finally figured it out. Took you long enough. To be honest, even Ryu seemed more suspicious of the situation than you. You’re truly are hopeless. Gaku,” Tenn mocked, walking around the room carelessly. He stretched his arms to the ceiling and yawned. The front of his shirt rose up as he did so, revealing the curves of his torso for just a moment. Just enough to tease. Then he sighed and put his arms back down. “I really don’t understand you. But that’s ok with me.”

                Gaku couldn’t help but watch as Tenn’s tummy was visible. He swallowed before replying. “Quit avoiding my question and answer me, damn it,” He commanded. He sighed, realizing this was hopeless. Ever since last year, there had been a huge disconnect between him and Tenn. All because of one simple night. One simple mistake. Truth be told, they hadn’t even talked it out. Instead, the matter was avoided and they refused to be alone together without someone else in the room (usually Ryu). Gaku ran a hand through his messy silver hair before taking a deep breath. “I’m done talking in code,” He stated. “You slept with him, didn’t you? You and the younger Izumi. Why would you do that, Tenn? I don’t care how arrogant you are. It isn’t like you to pull a stunt like that. You put Trigger in jeopardy. That’s something my center would never do…”

                “Ah!” Tenn gasped at Gaku’s bold words. His cheeks turned pink. And he stared at Gaku in utter shock. “Did you just call me… _your_ center?” He asked, clearly moved by those words. He bit his lip, not wanting to show weakness. “H-how can you say something like that so casually? Isn’t it embarrassing!?” He snapped.

                Gaku knew he was getting through to Tenn. He stepped closer to him and patted him on the head. “It’s ok now. It’s all ok…” He said in a gentle tone. “You can stop faking your personality. You know you don’t have to do that around me. Let me see the real you. The real Kujou Tenn…” He patted Tenn’s head softly. “It’s time to come clean.”

                Tenn fidgeted as Gaku ruffled his hair. He wanted to snap at him. But he didn’t have the strength anymore. “I didn’t mean to put Trigger in danger…” He growled. He avoided eye contact, looking to the side. “I handled everything, ok? I’m not a child. The problem has been solved! There’s peace between Iori, Riku, and I. And that’s all that matters!”

                Gaku lashed out in fury. “That’s not the point!!” He screamed, lunging at Tenn. He grabbed his Tenn’s shirt and yanked him in. “You brat! I’m not asking about the others! I’m asking about you! Kujou Tenn!” He snapped. He held nothing back, facing his idolmate head on. “Damn it. Why are you so selfless!? It really pisses me off. This whole mess has mentally tortured you, hasn’t it!? Hiding your relationship. Hiding your feelings. Hiding your personality!” He yelled. “Why didn’t you tell me!? I would have helped you!”

                Tenn glared up at the older man, fearlessly. “Because you’ve never helped me, Gaku!” He shot back. “You’ve never been there for me! You’ve been avoiding me for so long. In your mind I’m just some spoiled kid!”

                “What!? I’ve never thought that! You’re so much more to me than just some kid!”

                “Then what I am!?”

                “What!?”

                “What am I to you, Gaku!?”

                “YOU’RE _MY_ CENTER!!!”

                Tenn froze.

                Gaku froze.

                For nearly an entire minute, the room was deadly silent. The two just stared at each other with wide eyes. Gaku hadn’t seen Tenn up close like that in so long. He was captivated, unable to look away. And Tenn was no less than mesmerized as well. They continued to stare at each other, speechless.

                “Shit… you’re so beautiful…” Gaku suddenly whispered, loosening his grip on Tenn’s shirt.

                Tenn swallowed uneasily. He was so poised and strong. Yet in that moment he felt his icy heart melting. He replied the only way he knew how.

                “I know.”

**_ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _ **

                “Oh! Mitsuki! After the live, we should go on a date desu!” Nagi suggested, smiling at his boyfriend brightly. “OK? Let’s invite Yamato too!”

                “Nagiiiiii!” Mitsuki roared, whacking his partner over the head with a book. “We don’t have time to think about that now. We have to perform in less than an hour and Riku and Iori still aren’t here!” He professed with worry. Then he sighed frustraightedly. “Oi. If Yamato comes along, it isn’t really a date. Is it?”

                “Too late, Mitsu. I already booked the restaurant,” Yamato chuckled. “Table for three.”

                “THREESOME DESU!” Nagi cheered.

                “DAMN IT!” Mitsuki ruffled his hair in exhaustion.

Sogo looked around with worry. “It’s getting late. You don’t think Iori-kun and Riku-kun are in trouble, do you?” He asked to the group.

“Ehh? Maybe it’s like last time. And Iorin and Rikkun got locked in some shed-closet-storage-room… box… thingy,” Tamaki slurred. “Honestly I don’t even remember.”

                Suddenly, as if right on cue, the door to Idolish7’s dressing room flew open. Banri ran in, followed by the two missing members behind him. He leaned over to catch his breath. “We’re here, we’re here!” He announced. “Sorry everyone. I picked up Iori and Riku, but we got a flat tire on the way here. Pigeons shit all over my windshield so I couldn’t see. And the hitchhiker I picked up ended up being Yuki disguised as an old woman trying to get me to sell my twitter to the government,” he explained. “But jokes’ on him. I _am_ the government, bitch.”

                Iori bowed his head to everyone. “Apologizes for being so late,” He whispered. Then he turned to Riku. “Nanase-san. We just ran from the car to here. Are you alright? Do you need your inhaler?”

                Riku breathed heavily for a moment before calming down. “Ahh, I’m fine! Thanks Iori. You’re cute when you worry for me. Hehe.”

                Iori turned red. “I-I am not!”

                Mitsuki smiled, watching his little brother. “I’m just glad you’re here! So I take it you two are getting along again. That’s good!” He cheered, putting his hands on his hip proudly. “Iori. You said you had an announcement for everyone once we were all together. Tell us now!”

                “Yeah, tell us Ichi!” Yamato cheered.

                “Oh! Iori! You must tell us now!” Nagi agreed.

                Iori cleared his throat akwardly. “Ahem. Nii-san. I believe I said I’d tell everyone _after_ the live,” He insisted. “It’s too soon.”

                “Booooooooo. Ya can’t just like, leave us hanging like that~” Tamaki whined. He walked up to his schoolmate and put his arm around him. “Tell us already, Iorin! If you don’t, I’ll tickle ya~”

                “Yotsuba-san!” Iori gasped, as Tamaki hugged him. “Uwah!”

                “Tamaki-kun, hands to yourself please,” Sogo cautioned. “Only tell us if you’re ready, Iori-kun. We’re here for you no matter what.” He smiled kindly.

                Iori sighed. Everyone was so stupid and exhausting. But they were his friends. After years of isolation, Iori had finally found a group of people he cherished. And they cherished him back. He was happy. In fact, in that moment he was the happiest he had ever been. “Alright. I’ll make the announcement,” he said. “H-“

                “IORI AND I ARE BACK TOGETHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1” Riku suddenly interrupted. “AW34TGHJKNBGYW678iwuhg v2g9hp[jfp:>OWJ{IBU{(@P:LW” BDUHL:?DJ:”N{EP NC{EIJDOBIdfghjkEPY*G&C(EB:W:LN”W{D[p<{NIPSUBYVWTCGEBFH WUF8GFHIOBH UQCF8W79iequ8r79r3bBVIYQ7!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

                “NANASE-SAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

**_ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _ **

                It took some convincing, but Tenn finally opened up to Gaku. For the first time in nearly a year, they had a real conversation. No yelling. No blaming. They just talked things over like mature adults. By the end, Tenn was doing his best to hold back tears. He couldn’t be caught dead crying in front of the older man.

“So that’s the story… our silly little story of youth…” Tenn sighed. “Happy now?” He looked up at Gaku in desperation.

Gaku felt broken. He couldn’t believe the story he had just heard. Tenn revealed everything. How the mess with Iori started. And how it ended at the Usamimi Friends park just a few days ago when Iori chose Riku. “Tenn…” he whispered, wanting to comfort the other male. “Come here…” He reached out to hug him.

“Don’t touch me, soba boy,” Tenn hissed. He folded his arms and refused to come near him. “Besides, it’s not like any of this involves you. Why should you care? You’re happy in your own little world, aren’t you? Always talking to and texting… that woman...”

Gaku raised an eyebrow. “That woman? What woman?” he asked. It only took mere seconds to figure it out. He literally only spoke to one girl on earth, after all. “You mean Tsumugi?” He asked. “Shit. Don’t tell me…”

“What?”

“You’re jealous of Tsumugi… Because I’ve been giving her all my attention.”

“WHAT!?” Tenn shrieked, horrified. “Why on earth would I be jealous of her!? I am a superstar! I have no business envying some small agency’s daught-!”

Gaku sighed. “You were jealous of the relationship blooming between Tsumugi and I. So you turned from me and ran to Iori Izumi,” he assumed. “You were hurt. Lonely. So you forced him to be your confidante. Even though you never loved him all along…You tried to force youself to,” he growled. “Am I correct?”

Tenn’s bottom lip quivered. If there was one thing Tenn hated, it was being humiliated. Especially by Gaku. He trembled in anger before conjuring his rage, and stomping up to the other man. Gaku was prepared to be screamed at. However, suddenly, Tenn stopped. He stood right in front of Gaku and froze. Then he looked down in defeat.

“It’s your fault I was lonely…” He said softly. Like a real angel. “Gaku… I gave myself to you. That night you took my virginity was the best night of my life. I finally felt like I had someone who cared about me… you were… _amazing_ …”

It was rare Gaku was praised by Tenn. He fell silent, not believing the conversation had turned to this. He briefly glanced around for any eyes or cameras. Then he looked back at Tenn. “You really liked it?”

“Of course I did! Idiot. Did the way I gripped your back, clawed into your flesh, and moaned your name in ecstasy mean nothing to you!?” Tenn shouted, fearlessly.

Gaku looked away, flustered. They hadn’t discussed that night since it happened a year ago. Perhaps it was finally time to sort things out. “It was the best night of my life too, Tenn…” He admitted. “You bloomed for me so beautifully. Look, what happened that night in that hotel room was genuine, alright? I’ve never felt more complete.”

Tenn clenched his hands into fists. He could hardly contain his rage. Rage that had been builing up for a whole year. “Then why did you leave me!?” He suddenly screeched. He placed a hand over his chest as he spilled his heart out. “Gaku! You were my first love, my first kiss, and my first time! But after that night, you acted like we were strangers! When I woke up, you were completely gone from the bed! And you never showed me affection from that night onward!”

Gaku suddenly twitched. “That’s what this is about!?” he snapped. “Because I wouldn’t fucking cuddle with you after sex!?”

“It’s more than that!” Tenn shot back.

“What, then!? What is it!?” Gaku took a step closer to intimate the younger male. He couldn’t stand Tenn’s attitude. “Damn it, you really piss me off! You act like it’s the end of the world because I woke up a few minutes earlier than you and left that bed in the momring! Why is that so damn important to you!?”

“Because you promised you’d hold me in your god damn arms all night!” Tenn screamed. The room fell silent. He breathed heavily, trying to compose himself. Gaku stared at him. He stared at Gaku. But he didn’t back down. “You promised…promised… dance with me…’till breaking dawn…”

Gaku was taken back by Tenn’s words. It was then when he recalled that simple little promise he had made that night. A promise to cuddle Tenn in his arms until they had to get up in the morning. Yet he had broken that promise. And got out of bed without him. At the time, it didn’t seem like a big deal. Yet it clearly meant something to Tenn. Gaku felt awful. “God damn it, Tenn…” He groaned, turning to pace around the room. He walked over to the couch and sat down in exhaustion. He rubbed his face tiredly. “I didn’t want to leave you, ok? Shit. I can’t believe I’m confessing this…”

Tenn scurried over to the couch. “Confessing what?”

Gaku sighed again. “Look… Don’t tell Anesagi-san I’m telling you this. But my father was suspicious of our relationship. He saw the ways we looked at each other, talked to each other…” he drifted off. “My father called me into his office one day and scolded me pretty bad. It was the most he’s ever yelled at me. Screaming things like ‘no son of mine is to be gay! It’ll ruin Yaotome Productions!’ and things like that…” he recalled.

“He could tell…we had feelings for each other?”

“Yeah,” Gaku nodded. “That day he threatened me, Tenn. He said if I ever looked at you with yearning again, or even touched you… Kujou would pull you out of Trigger.”

Tenn’s eyes widened. In that moment, he felt the world stop turning.

_Pull me out of Trigger?_

That was it. That was the final piece to the puzzle. Gaku had been forced to stay away from Tenn in order to protect him. If he didn’t, Yaotome Pro could be ruined. Trigger could been ruined. And millons of fans- disappointed.

Tenn understood instantly. He felt so dizzy. “Oh my god…” he sobbed, covering his face. “I’m such an idiot for not seeing it sooner…!” He nearly broke down crying.

“Tenn, hey!” Gaku gasped with worry. He put his hands on Tenn’s shoulders. “Hey! Relax, alright! You didn’t do anything wrong. I’m sorry, ok? I had to stay away from you in order to protect you. If Kujou yanked you from Yaotome Productions, that would have been the end! I was terrified he would pack up and take you across the ocean in the blink of an eye! You know he would! So I had to do what I did to protect you… to protect us… to protect Trigger.”

“To protect the fans…” Tenn nodded. He took a deep breath. “I understand. I’m sorry.”

A moment of silence passed. Both boys processed everything. It was a lot to take in. But it all made sense.

“Thank you…” Tenn said softly. “For protecting me. I’m sorry if I was stubborn about it. It must have been hard avoiding romantic gazes at me when I was constantly teasing you…~” He suddenly chuckled. He recalled all the times he had performed provocative dance moves during rehersals, just to get Gaku’s attention. It always earned him flustered expressions from the older male. It was quite funny.

Gaku sighed with relief when Tenn was back to smirking. Yet he rolled his eyes, remembering all the times he had to leave rehersal early to take cold showers to calm his dick. (ha). “Yeah, it wasn’t easy,” he commented. “You really are a slut.”

“I know,” Tenn chuckled. “Alright, I understand now. You had to stay away from me, even if you didn’t want to, for the sake of Trigger. But that still doesn’t explain your fascination with Tsumugi Takanashi.” He crossed his arms and tapped his foot impatiently. “You started texting her the week after we slept together. It really felt as though you had ditched me and moved onto her.”

“I’d never do that,” Gaku swore, crossing over his heart. He took a deep breath. “I just thought… if I focused my attention elsewhere, I’d be able to get my mind off you. You were all I thought about. Every dream. Every thought…” he explained. “I didn’t want my old man yelling at me for liking guys. So I figured- I don’t know- if I talked to girls, maybe I could force myself to fall in love with one of them. Tsumugi’s the only one I really know…so…”

“So you did what I did with Iori. You forced yourself to spend time with her in attempt to get your mind off me. However, Iori entertained me. Meanwhile, Tsumugi rejected you,” Tenn informed. “She ignored you. Rediculed you. Negelected to text you back, and purposely rescheduled Idolish7 events away from Trigger events just to avoid you~”

Gaku groaned in defeat. “Alright, alright, I get it.”

Tenn giggled. “Tsumugi Takanashi is a strong person. Having to manage seven waves of chaos everyday requires intelligence. Your plan backfired. She simply didn’t love you back.”

Gaku felt stupid. But it was the truth. He nodded at Tenn, before sighing and looking away. “Yeah. She’s a good friend. She just didn’t see me romantically… And truth be told, I didn’t see her that way either…” He suddenly stood up from the couch. He began pacing around the room in distress. His mind was spinning. “Shit! My old man’s gonna kill me… He made me swear not to discuss this with you…”

Tenn watched. Seeing Gaku suffer always amused him. “Gaku.” He stood up. He grabbed the older man’s hand. “Don’t let your father get to you. Just because you’re afraid of how he’ll react doesn’t mean you should hide from him,” He explained. He interlocked his fingers with Gaku’s. Their hands fit together so perfectly. “For the record, you’re allowed to be bisexual. You’re just not allowed to love anyone more than me.”

It was such a smug, conceited thing to say. It was just like Tenn. Yet it was exactly what Gaku needed to hear in that moment. He suddenly chuckled, and began to laugh.

“Ha…haha!”

“What’s so funny?”

Gaku’s laughter filled the room. For the first time in a while, he was able to enjoy a good laugh. It was in that moment when he realized how much he had missed Tenn. He really loved him. “Ha! Your hands are so small…” He smiled, looking down. He squeezed Tenn’s hand in his. Those little palms were so tiny compared to Gaku’s large ones. “Just how I remember them…”

Tenn blushed. Their hands looked like they were made for each other. Perhaps Gaku had suffered just as much as the others, behind the scenes. His agony was on par with Iori’s, Tenn’s, and even Riku’s. All of them were victims of drama, gossip, and deceitful charm. Gaku struggled to keep his group together, please his father, and figure out his own sexuality on top of all that. Tenn felt awful for not realizing it sooner. Hell, at least Tenn knew he was gay. Gaku had struggled just as much as everyone else.

“We’re all victims…” Tenn sighed, pulling his hand away from Gaku’s. “You tarnished my youth. I tarnished Iori’s. And he tarnished Riku’s. How silly. If I could go back and change the past, I would.”

Gaku sighed. “Don’t say that, Tenn. You just told me Izumi and Nanase forgave you. You’re all friends now. The past is the past,” He stated. “Besides, your youth isn’t tarnished. You’re only 18, brat,” he rolled his eyes. “Youth is about making mistakes and learning from them. Overcoming those mistakes is how you grow up. Become a better person.”

Tenn perked up. He took those words to heart. “Funny. Riku said something similar not too long ago…” he sighed dreamily. He thought of his beloved younger brother. He was blessed to have such wonderful people in his life. “They’re together again. Iori and Riku. And they’re so happy.”

“Are you ok with that?” Gaku inquired.

“Of course I am,” Tenn replied without hesitation. “I wanted him to choose Riku in the end. They’re perfect for one another. Don’t you think? Like the left brain and the right brain… two halves of a whole… they need each other.” He smiled, thinking of the younger males. “Deep down, I suppose I knew Iori and I were never meant to be. My chasing him was a combination of getting away from you, as well as trying to get Riku out of Idolish7 for the better of his health. Pitiful. Yet for a while…perhaps I did believe I was falling for him…” He paused. “Just for a while…”

Gaku watched Tenn’s expression as he suddenly began thinking of Iori. For some reason, he felt jealous. “Tenn.” He grabbed Tenn’s shoulders and pushed him back. Without warning, he pinned him to the wall.

“Ah!” Tenn let out a little gasp. He narrowed his eyes and looked up at Gaku fearlessly. It was always in his nature to fight back. “What do you think you’re doing?”

Gaku growled, lowly. He leaned his face closer to Tenn’s and observed him closely. That poracline skin and strawberry-kissed hair. Gaku sniffed Tenn’s hair before leaning into his neck. Then he whispered, “Did you like it?”

Tenn felt a chill run down his spine. “What?”

 _Slam!_ Gaku slammed his fist above Tenn’s head on the wall. He trapped him completely. “I said. Did you like it?” He growled, demanding an answer. “Kissing him. Touching him. And being touched by him…” He whispered, in that low, seductive voice. “Did Iori please you, Tenn? Make you feel good…”

“Nm…” Tenn was getting turned on by Gaku’s provocative words. He turned his head to the side and closed his eyes. “None of your business,” he replied, not giving in. Their intimacy had always been like that. Gaku being greedy. Tenn being stubborn. And both of them fighting for dominance. It was the way they showed affection. So playful. So GakuTenn.

“It _is_ my business, if it involves you…” Gaku whispered in Tenn’s ear. He caressed the side of Tenn’s face, sending electricity through his body. “I can’t believe I let somebody else touch you…”

Tenn chuckled. “If you must know, I slept with him countless times. Too many to recall. It was addicting~” he slurred, arrogantly. “Soft little Iori is quite the romantic in bed~”

“Oh yeah?” Gaku nipped at Tenn’s ear. Soon, he was grazing his teeth down Tenn’s neck. He nibbled on his pretty skin, painting kisses on his collar.

“Mnh…” Tenn sighed in pleasure. “Yeah~” He groaned, losing himself in the heated feeling. It had been so long since he had felt Gaku’s lips on his flesh. It felt so perfect. “Jealous~?” He teased.

Gaku suddenly yanked Tenn’s chin upward.

“Ah!” Tenn squealed.

It had happened so fast. So sudden. Without warning, Gaku forced Tenn to look up at him. Then he crashed his lips into his.

“M-! M…Mhh…” Tenn’s eyes went wide before closing peacefully. Sparks flew. He felt butterflies in his tummy. Ecstacy surged through his body as Gaku’s lips devoured his. It was so nostalgic. It was exactly what he had been craving.

“Tenn…”

“G-…Gaku… Mmm…”

Tears came to Tenn’s eyes as he wrapped his arms around the taller’s man’s neck. And deepened the kiss. It was so different from kissing Iori. Iori was so soft and gentle about these things. Gaku was quite the opposite. He was greedy, persistant, and rough. Just the way Tenn liked it. Just the way he _needed_ it. It was in that moment when he realized how perfect they were for each other. He couldn’t force Iori to become something he wasn’t. And he didn’t need to. Gaku completed him perfectly.

“You damn brat…” Gaku groaned within the kiss. He greedily pulled Tenn in by the hips. His large hands gripped Tenn’s peteite waist powerfully. He continued to tongue wrestle with him. It felt so right.

“Ahh… ah, yeah…” Tenn moaned, only wanting more and more. “You miss this? This sexy body?”

“Hell yeah I did…” Gaku growled, dominantly. He couldn’t control it any longer. He swiftly picked Tenn up and held him. He was as light as a feather, especially to Gaku’s strength. “Mhh…”

“Ahhh Gaku…~” Tenn purred into his partner’s lips. He let the older male lift him up, and he clung to him obediantly. Wrapping his arms and legs around him. Never letting their lips lose contact for a second. He trusted Gaku with all his heart. He didn’t even open his eyes as Gaku carried him off. The next thing he knew, he gently being laid down on his back. On something hard. The table.

Of course, Gaku forced him to lay somewhere uncomfortable. There was a perfectly good couch off to the side. But Gaku wanted to torture Tenn. Make him beg for it. And Tenn fucking loved it.

“Hahh, ah… I just love that expression. That hungry, insatiable look in your eyes. You want me, don’t you? Your desire really gets me off~” The younger male panted for air as their lips finaly parted.

"Mm really?” Gaku smirked down at Tenn, removing his gray jacket.

“No,” Tenn teased.

“Brat,” Gaku replied.

Tenn giggled. He was in a state of lovestruck delirium. His favorite. “This side of you is cute~” he smirked, wiping the salivia from his lips. “Do you plan to ravage me on this dressing room table? Right here and now? How naughty, Mister Yaotome…~” He licked his lips. “Come on. Touch me. I know your dirty mind is wondering what it was like for Iori to wreck me over and over. Aren’t you curious? Aren’t you hungry? Aren’t you jealous?”

Gaku didn’t back down. This was the part where he would outsmart Tenn and finally win the battle for dominance. As always. “I am,” He stated, plainly. He leaned over the table and tucked the long strand of Tenn’s hair behind his right ear. He spoke with honesty. “It hurts knowing someone else got to please you, when I couldn’t. It hurts knowing I’m the one that caused you to search for love from someone else…” He looked down. The expression on his face was soft. Genuine. And of course, incredibly handsome. Gaku sighed, leaning back down to Tenn and kissing his neck a few times between words. “Please don’t ever run from me again. Because I have no intention of letting you go,” he informed. He looked the other boy right in the eyes and announced it fearlessly. “I love you. Kujou Tenn.”

That was all Tenn needed to hear. Finally, warm tears came to his eyes. And he started crying right on cue. Water spilled down his cheeks in the most beautiful way. Not like the fake tears he cried on stage for attention. No. This was one hundered percent real. He had never felt such joy as he did in that moment right there.

“Gaku!” He sobbed, trying to wipe away the water from his eyes. “Ah…h-ah…!” He sobbed.

Gaku smiled kindly. “My angel…” He kissed Tenn’s neck over and over. Sure, he was rough with Tenn when it came to sexual excitement. But he was still the kindest man on the planet. He knew when to be sweet. “You’re so beautiful like this…” He whispered in Tenn’s ear. “I love you so much, Tenn. I love you so much…” He cradled him close. “I love you.”

“S-Stop that! I’ll go crazy!” Tenn finally exclaimed. He hugged Gaku and cried over his shoulder. “I love you too!”

“Tenn.”

“Gaku!”

The two kissed for a moment, basking in the radiant glory. It felt so right to be back together. There was no use dwelling on the past. Youth was about looking to the future. And preparing the present to lead somewhere happy.

“But Gaku… the president…” Tenn sat up, wrapping his arms around Gaku’s neck. “He-“

“Mn.” Gaku kissed Tenn’s lips again to shut him up. “Don’t worry about him, alright? You’re my everything. He’ll learn to see how good we are together, baby. I promise.”

Tenn whimpered as Gaku kissed him more. “But… Kujou-san-“

“And forget that bastard too,” Gaku ordered. He grabbed Tenn’s hand and kissed the back of it, treating him like a goddess. Just how Tenn liked to be treated. “If you’re too stupid to stand up to him, I’ll do it for you. It’s time you do what you want. Live the life you want. Kujou Tenn!” He declared.

Tenn’s eyes sparkled. No one had ever stood up for him like that. “Oh Gaku…” he whispered. He blushed, looking away. “You don’t need to do that, you know. Kujou-san isn’t bad. He’s my fan. I worry for him sometimes…” he whispered. He only blushed more when Gaku kissed the back of his hand. “But I do appreiciate your willingness to stand up for me. Thank you…”

Gaku smiled back at him. “From now on, you’re mine. I’ll protect you with my life…” He swore, holding him close. He kissed Tenn’s forehead one last time before extending a hand to him, and helping him up. “Come on, then. It’s time for the show,” he announced. “We can’t be late. The Kujou Tenn I know is never late.”

Tenn smiled. He gladly took the hand of the man he loved. And stood up from the table. “Wait. Before we go… I have a request,” he stated.

Gaku turned to him, puzzled. “Hm? And what would that be?”

Tenn smirked. “Oh, you know what I want~” He grabbed Gaku’s tie and yanked him in. He chuckled up at him. “I want you to take me, Gaku. Claim me again. Make me yours.”

“T-Tenn!” Gaku blushed in that priceless way Tenn just adored. “Damn it. We aren’t as reckless as Re:vale. I’m not gonna fuck you against the dressing room wall five minutes before we have to go on stage,” He rolled his eyes.

Tenn chuckled. He quickly went up on his tip toes and pecked a little kiss on Gaku’s lips. It was small. And teasing. Just enough to get his attention. “I mean after the live. Idiot,” He informed. “Come home with me. It’s lonely at home when Kujou-san isn’t there. And he’s never there…” he glanced down, briefly. “I want you, ok? Don’t you want me too?”

Gaku couldn’t resist the pleading look in Tenn’s pretty eyes. He was so weak to him. “Alright, alright.” He hugged the smaller male one more time, leaning in to whisper in his ear. “I suppose I need to punish you, after all. For being such a bad boy and sleeping around without my persmisson…” He teased, playfully. He knew just how to excite Tenn. “Be careful what you wish for, little one. Give me five minutes and a locked door and I can leave you breathless~” He tilted Tenn’s chin upward.

Tenn smiled. “Oh yeah?”

“Yeah… my beautiful slut…” Gaku sighed, in the most lovestruck way. He leaned in to kiss him.

Yet Tenn was so arrogant. “Ah, ah, ah~ Not until _after_ the live.” He held his finger up to Gaku’s lips to stop him. “Hehe. You’re gonna have to work hard if you want to be rewarded, big boy~”

“Damn it you haven’t changed at all…” Gaku rolled his eyes. Yet he couldn’t help but smile. He grabbed Tenn’s hand and kissed the back of it, settling for that instead of his lips. “Come on, then. It’s showtime.”

**_ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _ **

“LOVE&GAME is such an amazing song! GO SOGO! GO TAMAKI! YAY!” Nagi cheered from back stage.

“Nagi shut the fuck up,” said Mitsuki.

Riku giggled at the funny couple, before looking over at his own boyfriend. He couldn’t help but notice that Iori looked nervous. “Hey, hey, Iori! What are you writing in your diary, Iori?” He begged, peaking over Iori’s shoulder.

“N-Nanase-san!” Iori gasped, closing the notebook quickly. He cleared his throat awkwardly. “Ahem. Do not sneak up on me like that. Besides, we need to be quiet backstage. We’re on standby,” He reminded. “As soon as Tsunashi-san, Osaka-san, and Yotsuba-san finish their song it will be our turn.”

Riku pouted. “Aww. I just wanna know what you’re writing in your diary, Iori!”

“It is not a d-d-diary!”

Riku laughed and hugged his boyfriend. He was so happy to finally have the freedom to shower him with affection. He promised to spoil Iori until no end. “We promised no more secrets, Iori! Remember!" He recalled. Then he looked up at him with those puppy eyes. “Promise you’ll read the diary to me tonight? After the live?”

Iori swallowed. Riku was so adorable clinging to him and begging like that. Iori couldn’t resist. He could never resist. “V…very well… Nanase-san…” he decided. He sighed. “I shall read it to you tonight. But promise not to laugh. And it is not a diary! It's a journal!!"

"Hahaha!" Riku giggled cheerfully. He laughed in that beautiful voice Iori loved so much. And looked over to the side. "Ah! LOOK IT’S TENN-NII!” he suddenly squealed, seeing his brother entering the backstage area with Gaku. He ran up to him the moment he saw him. “Tenn-nii!”

 _“No running!”_ two voices suddenly scolded in unison.

“Eh?”

“Eh?”

As Tenn entered the area, he made eye contact with Iori. The two of them had spoke at the exact same time. They stared at each other for a moment. A long moment. Before someone finally spoke up.

“Apoligizes for running behind schedule. But it looks like we still have time,” Tenn sighed. “A mysterious older man broke into my dressing room and made me cry~”

“H-hey! Tenn!” Gaku snapped.

Iori blinked. He instantly noticed that Tenn and Gaku had walked in holding hands. And they continued to hold hands. Iori didn’t hesitate to smile. “I’m glad you made it. Kujou-san,” he said kindly.

Tenn looked at Iori. He dropped Gaku’s hand and marched up to him. Everyone backstage watched. Tenn walked right up to Iori and fearlessly looked into his eyes. “I’m glad you made it too, Iori,” he replied. “We all made it. And I’m so proud. Things are looking up, aren’t they?” He smiled.

Iori smiled back. “Yes,” he replied. “I’ve already written out my feelings in my dia- journal. You were right. I’m better at conveying my emotions through paper rather than words…” he admitted.

Tenn chuckled. "I’m glad,” he replied. “I hope you’ll share those papers with Riku then.”

Riku’s face lit up. “Yeah!” he cheered, poping up out of no where. He put his arms around Iori and Tenn, hugging them both. “Iori promised me he’d read everything to me after the show! Isn’t that great, Tenn-nii!?”

Tenn smiled at Riku’s joy. “Yes Riku,” He said. “If you’re happy, I’m happy.”

Just then, the music from the performance on stage ended. LOVE&GAME concluded. Now it was Iori, Riku, and Tenn’s turn to shine. Sogo gave them a quick introduction before motioning for them to come on stage. The audience raved, cheering and screaming their three names in joy.

Iori! Riku! Tenn!

“This is it…” Tenn took his first step toward the stage.

“Tenn,” Gaku interupted. He grabbed Tenn quickly and pulled him in by the waist. He held nothing back and kissed him deeply, proving that he was no longer scared to hide his emotions.

“Mphh…!” Even Tenn was startled.

“KYAAAA~! Tenn-nii!” Riku cheered.

“Kujou-san! Yaotome-san! Now is not the time!” Iori covered Riku’s eyes.

Gaku smirked, breaking the kiss. “Sorry,” he apologized, even though he didn’t mean it. “You’re gonna do great. Shine for me, Tenn. Go. Show the world the real you.”

Tenn was out of breath. Yet nothing would ever stop him from preforming. "I love your eyes so much..." He whispered. "Those handsome silver eyes, Gaku. I've missed them..." He smiled at Gaku before sharply turning on his heels and heading toward the bright stagelights. “Come on, Riku, Iori. It’s time to sing our Anthem of Youth.”

“R-right! Yay!” Riku skipped off after his brother.

“Nanase-san!” Iori called, running after them.

Soon, the blinding lights bathed them in dazzling glory. The audience went wild as the three boys walked out on stage. The thousands of glowsticks danced for them, flashing the colors of red, pink, and dark blue. It was beautiful. And it was all for them.

They assumed their positions for the choreography they had worked so hard on. And soon, the music began.

_Aah, aah, aah…~_

_Woah woah woah woah woah_

_woah woah woah woah woah-woah!_

Iori sang his heart out that night. Like he never had before. He felt like he had come such a long way since his meltdown at MuFest. And he had. He had grown up. Matured. And with the help of his friends, he would only continue blossom into a wonderful person.

He looked at his right, at Tenn. Then his left, at Riku. Holding hands, they lifted their arms up.

 

_Dear journal,_

_The performance is upon us. Kujou-san still isn’t here. But I know him well. He’ll walk in just in time, and I expect nothing less of Trigger’s center. Nanase-san is being absolutely adorable today. He’s so thrilled to be performing with his brother and I. The precious sparkle in his eyes makes my heart race, though I’ll never tell him that. Something I don’t talk about often is Nanase-san’s laugh. He has such a beautiful, golden laugh. His voice is always cute. But I’d go so far to say his laugh is just as spectacular as his gorgeous singing voice. I want to hear him laugh more and I want to hear him sing more. I love him so much._

_We really have come so far. Something tells me even Kujou-san will behold the pinnacle of his youth. And very soon. He’ll find happiness in another man. I just know it. From here on out, I have friends. I have wonderful people who will stand on either side of me and lift me up. We’ll learn together. Grow together. And grow up together. Life is a peculiar thing. Errors may occur but they can always be corrected. My calculative mind knows that much. Youth is a beautiful thing and I can’t wait to see what it has in store for us next._

_Today our voices will reach the ends of the earth. Echoing in the hearts of our fans in ways they never could before. This is it. This is our beautiful story of love, sex, betrayal, and friendship._

_This is our Anthem of Youth._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end  
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
> Ahhhhhh!!! Thanks for reading, everyone!! I hope you enjoyed my story as much as I enjoyed writing it! I've receieved a lot of positive and negative feedback on this fic tbh (aaa) BUT WHATS CRAZY IS THAT ANYWHERE I GO EVERYONE IN THIS FANDOM SEEMS TO HAVE HEARD OF IT??? AHHHHHH it makes me very happy!! I want to write lots more idolish7 stories but idk if it'll be anything as long as this lmao. But yah i hope yall enjoyed~ this story has a cute message and it's that everyone will grow up into a beautiful person when they learn from their mistakes~ I just think Iori is the most perfect example of that. I LVOE IORI! IF YOU HABENT NTICED SDRTYUILKJHGFDSERTYUI  
> yayyyyyy please continue to love and support idolish7 and support iori because he's a good boy ok!! THANKS LOVES!!


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